A successful Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack can severely impact a company’s infrastructure, damage its reputation, and result in significant financial losses. Therefore, businesses must have a DDoS mitigation solution to protect against attacks.
A report by Radware, “Multi-Cloud Application Protection Report 2023, reports that 31% of enterprises experience DDoS attacks weekly and downtime due to a successful application. DDoS attacks cost organizations an average of USD 6,130 per minute.
Here are two DDoS attacks firms must be prepared for in 2024.
- Layer 7 (L7) Application Attacks
Layer 7 (L7) Application Attacks target the application layer of websites or web apps, exploiting them by overuse. These attacks often involve IoT devices and can serve as distractions from other security breaches. Despite being low-volume, L7 attacks can cause significant downtime, disrupt business continuity, and strain web applications.
Detecting L7 attacks is challenging due to their focus on app-specific resources and the use of malicious bots mimicking legitimate requests. Even basic attacks on login pages can overload CPUs and databases. Here are key strategies for mitigating L7 application attacks:
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF): A WAF filters and analyzes traffic from various sources. It uses custom rules to respond quickly to attacks, assessing layer 7 traffic to identify and block malicious activity.
- Use Behavioral Analytics: This involves AI and machine learning to monitor user and entity behaviors, identifying abnormal activities or traffic patterns. It leverages advanced analysis, log data, and threat intelligence to detect potential malicious behavior.
- Implement Captcha Verification and JavaScript Challenges: Captcha verification distinguishes real users from spam bots through tasks requiring human intelligence. JavaScript challenges help filter out requests from botnets or malicious computers. Legitimate browsers can process JavaScript challenges, whereas DDoS bots typically cannot.
By incorporating these measures, businesses can enhance their defenses against L7 application attacks, safeguarding their web applications and operations.
- Ransom DDoS Attacks (RDoS)
Ransom DDoS (RDoS) attacks are financially motivated and target online resources like websites and web APIs. These extortion-based attacks disrupt an organization’s online services, business operations, productivity, and reputation.
An RDoS attack typically begins with a private ransom demand from the attacker, threatening a DDoS assault if payment isn’t made. If the victim refuses to pay, the ransom demand often increases. Attackers might conduct a demonstration DDoS attack before the payment deadline to prove their capability.
Here’s how organizations should respond to DDoS attacks:
- Do Not Pay and Alert the Security Team: Paying the ransom can be damaging and doesn’t prevent attackers from ceasing their activities. It also encourages them to continue their campaigns and fund their capabilities. Organizations should inform their security provider about the threat, provide the ransom letter, and enable joint monitoring of further activities.
- Monitor Possible Demonstration Attack: Be aware of any minor attacks that might occur to demonstrate the attacker’s capability. These attacks require close monitoring of network logs for any unusual traffic spikes. Even a small-scale DDoS attack can provide insights into the severity, attack vectors, and sources.
- Educate Employees: Since RDoS ransom notes can be sent to any employee, educating all staff about RDoS attacks and the protocol for handling such threats is essential. Establishing a point of contact for these situations is crucial.
According to the “2022 DDoS Threat Intelligence Report” by A10 Networks, around 423,096 bot agents were tracked, with an 8% decrease in total bot numbers observed in the latter half of 2021. The global expansion of IoT, driven by business needs and 5G technology, has created a vast pool of potential attack surfaces.
In 2024, as the threat landscape continues to evolve, more sophisticated DDoS attacks are expected, exploiting the proliferation of botnets and affordable DDoS-as-a-service platforms.
Conclusion
In 2024, businesses are likely to face an intensified cyber threat environment. The sophistication of Layer 7 application attacks necessitates advanced defensive strategies focusing on application-level protections and behavioral analysis. On the other hand, RDoS attacks require a robust organizational response strategy, emphasizing internal communication, employee awareness, and collaboration with security teams.
The increasing complexity and variety of cyber attacks underscore the need for a multi-faceted cybersecurity approach. This approach should integrate advanced technological solutions, continuous monitoring, employee education, and a clear response protocol for potential threats. As the digital landscape evolves, particularly with the expansion of IoT and the ubiquity of connected devices, organizations must continuously adapt and enhance their cybersecurity strategies to safeguard against these evolving threats.