DDoS attacks soared to new highs in 2021
Ransom DDoS attacks saw a 29 percent year over year increase
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The web infrastructure andCDNproviderCloudflarehas released itsDDoS Attack Trends for Q4 2021 reporthighlighting the steep increase in DDoS attacks last year.
The first half of 2021 saw massiveransomwareand ransom DDoS attack campaigns that interrupted aspects of critical infrastructure worldwide and a vulnerability in Kaseya’s IT management software that was exploited to target schools, the public sector, travel organizations and credit unions. Meanwhile, the second half of the year saw the rise of a new botnet calledMeris, record-breaking HTTP DDoS attacks and network-layer attacks observed over the Cloudflare network.
When it came toransom DDoS attacks, they increased by 29 percent year over year and by 175 percent quarter over quarter. In fact, in December alone, one out of every three respondents surveyed by Cloudflare reported being targeted by a ransom DDoS attack or threatened by an attacker.
At the same time, Q4 was the busiest quarter for attackers launching network-layer DDoS attacks with more attacks observed this quarter than in Q1 and Q2 of 2021 separately. While most of these attacks were small, Cloudflare was able to automatically mitigate dozens of attacks peaking at over 1 Tbps with the largest one peaking at just under2 Tbps. There was also apersistent ransom DDoS campaignagainstVoIP providersaround the world during Q4.
Application-layer DDoS attacks
Application-layer DDoS attacks, specificallyHTTP DDoS attacks, are attacks that usually aim to disrupt a web server by making it unable to process legitimate user requests.
During 2021, the manufacturing, business services and gaming/gambling industries were the most targeted by application-layer DDoS attacks with attacks on manufacturing companies increasing by 641 percent quarter on quarter during Q4.
When it came to where these attacks are originating from, for the fourth quarter in a row, China remains the country with the highest percentage of DDoS attacks coming from within its borders followed by the US, Brazil and India. The US was the most targeted country by application-layer DDoS attacks followed by Canada, Germany, France and Ukraine.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
As cybercriminals and other threat actors increasingly use DDoS attacks to hold businesses for ransom and to target critical infrastructure, organizations should ensure they have adequateDDoS protectionto fortify both their websites and online services.
We’ve also featured thebest antivirus,best malware removal softwareandbest endpoint protection software
After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.
Phishing attacks surge in 2024 as cybercriminals adopt AI tools and multi-channel tactics
This new phishing strategy utilizes GitHub comments to distribute malware
Smeg Combi Steam Oven review: a multi-functional countertop oven that looks stunning and cooks well
