Gcore just released its Q3-Q4 2024 Radar DDoS Attack Trends report. The report reveals a significant increase in the total number of distributed denial of service (DDoS) as well as their magnitude.
Among many other findings, the report uncovered two alarming trends:
- DDoS attacks have increased by 56% over the same period.
- Additionally, while the longest attack duration dropped from 16 hours to five hours, the attacks have grown significantly stronger, as measured in terabits per second (Tbps).
It all adds up to a troubling new reality: DDoS attacks have reached unprecedented scale and disruption, and organizations would be wise to take more steps to protect themselves from this evolving threat.
Industry Implications
While companies in virtually every industry could be the victim of a DDoS campaign, certain industries are experiencing an increase in the total number of attacks. From Gcore’s report:
- DDoS attacks against the technology industry grew from 7% to 19% compared to the previous year. This is due to hackers recognizing the massive disruption they can cause by successfully attacking a technology services company. This was the case of the infamous Mirai Dyn DDoS attack in 2016 that knocked many high-profile websites offline, including GitHub, HBO, Netflix, Twitter, Reddit, and more.
- Gaming continues to be the most attacked industry, although this could be going down. There were 31% fewer attacks as compared with the first half of 2024, evidence that gaming companies are strengthening their DDoS defenses.
- The financial services industry saw a 117% increase, representing 26% of all DDoS attacks. This is most likely due to the sector’s critical online services and general susceptibility to ransom-based threats.
Strengthening DDoS Defenses
J Stephen Kowski, Field CTO at SlashNext, believes we’ll see even more attacks in the future.
“The trend of increasing DDoS attacks is likely to continue, driven by the growing Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem and the adoption of 5G networks,” he said. “As attack surfaces expand, we’ll see more sophisticated, multi-vector attacks that combine volumetric assaults with application-layer exploits.
“Organizations should implement a multi-layered defense strategy, including cloud-based protection services, on-premises hardware, and robust incident response plans. It’s crucial to adopt solutions that provide real-time threat intelligence and can automatically detect and block malicious traffic across various protocols and attack vectors. Regular security assessments and employee training are also vital components of a comprehensive defense strategy.”
Best Practices to Combat Growing DDoS Attacks
“The recent surge in DDoS attacks highlights the growing aggressiveness of cyber threats, which are increasingly difficult to combat with traditional defenses,” said Darren Guccione, CEO and Co-founder at Keeper Security, a Chicago-based provider of zero-trust and zero-knowledge cybersecurity software.
“To effectively counter DDoS threats, businesses must implement network monitoring and regularly analyze network traffic to establish a baseline, enabling them to detect anomalies early. Integrating CAPTCHA solutions can also help differentiate between human users and bots, reducing the risk of automated attacks. Organizations should consider developing a robust incident response plan, employing DDoS mitigation services and evaluating and potentially increasing bandwidth capacity to effectively mitigate the impact of these attacks.”
In addition, organizations should also consider advanced security strategies to mitigate these evolving threats.
AI-Powered Threat Detection and Response
Signature-based detection methods, which rely on recognizing known attack patterns, struggle against modern, multi-vector DDoS attacks. Instead, organizations should use machine learning-driven anomaly detection, which analyzes traffic behavior in real time to identify unusual spikes or malicious activity before an attack fully unfolds. Such systems can automatically respond, filtering out malicious traffic without disrupting legitimate users.
Cloud-Based DDoS Protection
On-premises DDoS mitigation solutions can’t offer the scalability needed to withstand high-volume attacks. Cloud-based protection offers on-demand scalability, absorbing even the largest attacks without overwhelming internal infrastructure. A hybrid approach – one that combines cloud-based filtering with on-premises hardware defenses – provides resilience by ensuring local protection while still relying on cloud capacity for large-scale mitigation.
Zero Trust Architecture for Network Security
Zero Trust principles help limit attack surfaces by enforcing strict access controls and network segmentation. By isolating critical systems and restricting lateral movement, organizations can prevent botnets from infiltrating and spreading within their networks. Identity verification, least-privilege access, and microsegmentation further reduce vulnerabilities, ensuring that even if an attacker gains entry, their impact is contained.
The Growing Threat Requires Immediate Action
The latest findings from Gcore’s Radar report make it clear: DDoS attacks are becoming more frequent, more powerful, and more disruptive across industries. With financial services, technology, and gaming among the hardest-hit sectors, no organization can afford to ignore this escalating threat.
Traditional defenses alone are no longer sufficient – companies must adopt AI-powered threat detection, scalable cloud-based protection, and Zero Trust security frameworks to protect their networks and infrastructure. As attackers continue to refine their tactics, proactive defense strategies and continuous monitoring will be critical for mitigating risk and ensuring operational resilience in the face of this evolving cyber threat.
