DDoS attacks aren’t going away, and they continue to evolve, but that doesn’t mean nothing can be done. In a recent webinar, our CTO Ashley Stephenson and Steve Mulhearn, VP of Sales for EMEA and APAC, discussed the key findings from our 2023 DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, and provided recommendations for defending against these types of attacks.
Here are the highlights:
Understanding the Threat of “Carpet Bomb” Attacks
The webinar highlighted the prevalence of small-scale DDoS attacks, a trend that underscores the need for vigilance even when dealing with seemingly minor threats. In particular, it delved into the dramatic rise in “carpet bomb” or “spread spectrum” attacks. This attack targets a wide range of IP addresses, effectively flying under the radar of threshold-based detection methods and obfuscating the true target of the attack.
DNS: A Major Target
Attackers increasingly target open services such as DNS, as an effective means to bypass a targeted organization’s defenses. Every website uses DNS, so by abusing the service, itself, DNS carries the attack to the victim. High DNS activity isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm, but distinguishing between legitimate and malicious DNS activity is crucial.
The Legacy of the Mirai Botnet
Ash and Steve also discussed DDoS attacks stemming from botnets that emulate the original Mirai botnet attacks of 2016. While the same botnet isn’t being used over the years, similar techniques and attack vectors are being employed. These “Mirai-like” botnets represent a significant threat to cybersecurity.
One suggested strategy to protect against Mirai-like botnets is to minimize the attack surface of services. By ensuring that no unnecessary ports or protocols are left open, these botnets can be defeated. This serves as a reminder that a proactive approach to security, which includes regular audits of systems and closing unnecessary access points, can go a long way in mitigating threats.
Watch the Webinar and Download the Report
You can watch the webinar on-demand on BrightTALK and download the full report from there, as well.