A new report from Gcore reveals a large increase in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks during H1 2024, with the number of incidents rising by 46% compared to the same period last year.
Gcore’s research shows that the number of attacks reached 445,000 in the second quarter of 2024 alone. The surge in attacks represents a 34% increase from the previous six months (Q3-Q4 2023), indicating a worrying trend.
While the volume of attacks has risen dramatically, the peak attack power has also seen a slight uptick, with the most powerful attack in H1 2024 reaching 1.7 Tbps, up from 1.6 Tbps in 2023.
The gaming and gambling industry remains the most targeted sector, accounting for 49% of total attacks. Perhaps most notable is the sharp rise in attacks on the technology industry, which doubled to 15% of total incidents. Financial services, telecoms, and e-commerce round out the top five most-attacked industries, accounting for 12%, 10%, and 7% of attacks, respectively.
The report distinguishes between network-layer (L3-4) and application-layer (L7) attacks, noting that different industries are impacted in various ways.
Network-layer attacks predominantly affect the gaming, technology, and telecom industries due to their reliance on real-time data services. Application-layer attacks, on the other hand, significantly impact sectors such as financial services, e-commerce, and media, disrupting transaction processing and content delivery.
Interestingly, the duration of attacks varies widely. While most DDoS attacks are brief, typically lasting under 10 minutes, the longest attack in H1 2024 persisted for 16 hours. This variability suggests that attackers are adopting more sophisticated tactics, tailoring their methods to exploit the vulnerabilities of specific targets.
The report also highlights a trend towards more personalised attacks, with malicious actors increasingly targeting specific industries with customised methods. In the gaming industry, for instance, attacks tend to be short-lived but frequent, aiming to degrade specific servers and compel users to switch to rival platforms.
Identifying the origins of these attacks remains a challenge. While application-layer attacks can often be traced to specific countries through IP addresses, network-layer attacks frequently involve IP spoofing, complicating origin tracking. Common attack methods include UDP floods for network-layer attacks and HTTP floods for application-layer attacks, both targeting vulnerabilities in communication protocols.
DDoS attacks remain a persistent and growing threat. Organisations across all sectors must invest in robust protection measures to safeguard their digital assets and maintain business continuity in the face of these increasing threats.
A copy of the full Gcore report can be found here (registration required)
See also: Kursk region hit by cyberattack amid Ukrainian counter-incursion
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