The incidence of DDoS attacks increased dramatically in the last quarter of 2021. Following a significant increase in malware instances beginning in 2020, it is necessary to rethink whether 2022 will be the year of the DDoS attack. Today’s article will discuss the risk of a DDoS rise in 2022. Furthermore, we will also discuss how to defend yourself and your organization.
What is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack?
Distributed Denial of Service is a newer version of the more general denial of service (DoS) attack. A denial of service attack is a sort of cyberattack in which attackers try to shut down a service or website, rendering it inaccessible to its intended audience. Distributed Denial of Service attacks attempts to bring down a service by overloading it with traffic from several sources all at once. The dispersed portion of the name derives from this type of attack that uses several sources.
The thing that makes these attacks so hazardous is how difficult they are to prevent using traditional tactics. You can’t stop a DDoS attack from happening because it originates from multiple different places.
How rapidly are DDoS attacks increasing?
As per Cloudflare, a corporation that offers DDoS defense services, the frequency of DDoS attacks has risen dramatically in the last year. Distributed Denial of Service attacks increased by 175% from Quarter 3 to Quarter 4 of 2021.
Even more concerning is that ransom demands frequently follow these attacks. In December 2021, one-third of the targets questioned indicated they became targets by DDoS attacks with the sole aim of extortion. The fourth quarter of 2021 witnessed the most extensive ransom demands related to Distributed Denial of Service attacks.
DDoS attacks will undoubtedly dominate in 2022, given how quickly they have grown in popularity in recent years.
What’s the Source of These Attacks?
While Russia and its neighboring countries primarily perpetrate ransomware threats, China mainly committed DDoS attacks. The most surprising detail about the origins of these threats is that the US is the second most prevalent origin.
Despite Ransomware attacks, most Distributed Denial of Service attacks is domestic, harming the country where they originate.
The Actual Threat of a DDoS Attack
Among the most dangerous aspects of a DDoS attack is how readily these attacks with other forms of cyberattacks. While the instances above demonstrate evil people using DDoS attacks to extort money, attackers frequently utilize them to help them carry out different cybercrimes.
Ransomware is a severe concern, and it is among the most prevalent malware kinds that thieves use in conjunction with DDoS operations. Attackers have used DDoS to force targets to pay the ransom or stop them from halting a ransomware campaign. As ransomware grows increasingly common, more businesses are becoming aware of defending themselves. Hackers can use DDoS attacks to make it more difficult for companies to protect themselves or to frighten targets into paying a ransom that isn’t necessary.
Another factor for the rise in DDoS attacks is that they are inexpensive and straightforward to carry out. A DDoS attack costs roughly $10 per hour. It requires very little technical knowledge, and this indicates that low-level cybercriminals can use DDoS to start generating revenue and potentially support more illegal activity.
The Ukraine DDoS Attacks
Russia has begun deploying DDoS attacks to damage Ukraine’s infrastructure and capacity to protect itself as part of its ongoing invasion. Russia targeted the Ukrainian defense department websites and a financial institution in the run-up to the attack. Since the full-scale invasion, Russia has continued to use Distributed Denial of Service attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure.
Because of this DDoS attack infected several Ukrainian computer networks with malware in this more recent incident. Investigators have discovered a new data-wiping malware in hundreds of systems across the nation. Researchers suspect Russia produced this new malware and sneaked it into those networks during the earlier DDoS attack.
How to Safeguard Yourself From DDoS Attacks?
Prevention actions are the most vigorous defense against DDoS attacks. DDoS protection services and tools are available in various forms. These businesses give an extra degree of protection against attackers shutting down your service or website. Cloudflare, for example, is among the most well-known DDoS prevention services on the internet. The organization defends websites by blocking the various types of online traffic that indicate a DDoS attack. Since executives and famous people are more at risk, many companies like Efani also provide VIP security services to secure them from heavy losses.
You can prevent DDoS attacks by taking some precautions on your own. One of the simplest is to confirm if your WebHost provides server-level DDoS protection. These characteristics are widespread, although they are not universal. Ensure that your host offers at least a basic level of DDoS security.
By having the highest bandwidth limit possible for your firm, you can avoid DDoS attacks. The more bandwidth your service or website can manage, the more challenging or costly it will be for attackers to launch an effective DDoS attack against you. If your bandwidth is too high, attackers will eventually decide it is not worth their time to attack you.
Other Safety Measures You Can Consider
There are lots more precautions you may take to ensure your safety while online.
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