The intensity and frequency of attacks may increase significantly due to several worrying signs and trends, according to one cybersecurity firm.
Some experts have warned that the power of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks will increase this year due to the development of 5G networks.
Using this technology, it will be possible for malevolent entities to launch a DDoS attack with a capacity of more than 1Gbps from each mobile device netted. If an attacker possesses tens or hundreds of thousands of infected smartphones, tablets and IoT devices, then the attack volume can reach several terabits in scope, making it incredibly difficult to quell.
Recently, hackers have begun to launch attacks using bots that can automatically bypass common protection methods. New types of DDoS attacks are expected to emerge, presumably targeting the user datagram protocol (UDP), because applications using this protocol—primarily online games, VoIP services and Facebook and Google apps—are often not as effective as those on the transmission control protocol (TCP).
Interpolating the trends
In view of the warnings by experts, one cybersecurity firm has raised the alarm about impending DDoS surges in the remainder of this year.
According to experts from StormWall, the global quantity of DDoS attacks may increase by at least 20% compared to last year, based on these further observations:
- DDoS attacks have shown steady growth for several years in a row.
- The emergence of a large number of cybercriminals targeting students transitioning to distance learning.
- An increase in the criticality of Internet services due to the global surge in remote-working amid the widespread corporate rush to actively develop stronger online visibility.
- The availability of new powerful tools for organizing DDoS attacks this year, available to a wide range of consumers: for example, the ability to access 400Gbps attacks launched from real devices for only $500 per week via Telegram. It is now possible to organize a powerful attack for free—by introducing oneself as a potential buyer and requesting a test for a few minutes, which can snowball to Internet providers on the way, leading to a multiplier effect.
In connection with the new threats and developments, various types of perimeter security solutions (AntiDDoS, Web Application Firewalls, anti-bot tools, intrusion detection systems/intrusion prevention systems) and AI-driven solutions will be put to the acid test in ensuring resilience and recovery from the supposedly imminent surge in DDoS attacks.
