The latest data from Nexusguard’s DDoS Statistical Trends Report 2024 indicates a significant shift in the tactics employed by bad actors when it comes to launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. According to the report, computers and servers have become the primary targets of these attacks, accounting for 92% of DDoS attempts, a substantial increase from the previous year’s 68%.
Furthermore, the attacks are now shorter in duration but more intense in terms of their impact. Despite a 55% decrease in the overall frequency of DDoS attacks in 2023, the size of these attacks increased by a staggering 233%. Attacks lasting 90 minutes have seen a 22% increase and now make up 81% of all DDoS attacks, while longer attacks spanning over 1200+ minutes experienced a steep 95% reduction.
Cybersecurity experts like Donny Chong attribute this shift in tactics to the desire of cybercriminals to cause maximum disruption with minimal effort. The advancement of modern cybersecurity tools has pushed bad actors to target areas where even brief disruptions can have significant consequences, such as government and public sector organizations. The rise of politically charged hacktivism has also emerged as a common motivator for DDoS attacks, making vital services more vulnerable and underscoring the importance of national security and global diplomacy.
One notable trend identified in the report is the stark shift of application attacks towards Windows OS devices, which accounted for 87% of all DDoS targets in 2023, a significant increase from the previous year’s 15%. This shift indicates that cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in Windows OS, using more sophisticated malware, and leveraging evolving botnets to carry out more effective attacks on computers and servers.
Despite these evolving tactics, attackers continue to rely on techniques that allow them to launch massive attacks with limited resources. The report highlights that NTP Amplification Attacks remain a prominent attack vector, representing 26% of attacks, although there was a 17% decrease in such attacks in 2023. Other attack vectors like HTTPS Flood and DNS Amplification are rapidly gaining traction, underscoring the vulnerabilities in global internet infrastructure.
Overall, the report reveals a shifting landscape in DDoS attack categories, with application attacks, volumetric attacks, and single-vector attacks dominating the scene. Application attacks saw a significant rise of 79% year-on-year in 2023, while volumetric attacks declined by 30%, indicating a shift towards more sophisticated attack methods. Single-vector attacks, accounting for 93% of all DDoS attacks, emphasize the preference for simple yet disruptive techniques by bad actors.
For more insights and details from the Nexusguard’s DDoS Statistical Trends Report 2024, readers are encouraged to access the full report. Nexusguard, a prominent DDoS security solution provider, continues to develop and provide top-notch cybersecurity solutions to combat malicious internet attacks and ensure uninterrupted internet service for its clients across various industries. Visit www.nexusguard.com for more information on Nexusguard and its cybersecurity offerings.