In a recent discussion on the CyberWire Hash Table podcast, Rick Howard, the CSO, Chief Analyst, and Senior Fellow at N2K Cyber, along with guests Steve Winterfeld, Akamai’s Field CSO, Jim Gilbert, Akamai’s Director Product Management, and Rick Doten, the CISO for Healthcare Enterprises and Centene, explored the current state of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) prevention. The conversation centered on the evolving nature of DDoS attacks and the strategies needed to defend against them.
According to the Azure Network Security Team’s 2022 review of DDoS attack trends and insights, there has been a significant increase in the frequency and sophistication of these attacks. The report highlights that DDoS attacks have become a weapon of choice for cybercriminals due to their ability to disrupt online services and inflict financial harm.
Rick Howard, in his book “Cybersecurity First Principles: A Reboot of Strategy and Tactics,” emphasizes the importance of implementing robust DDoS prevention strategies. He believes that organizations need to adopt a proactive approach that focuses on identifying and mitigating potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers.
One effective technique mentioned in the discussion is DNS amplification, as explained by Radware in a YouTube video. This technique involves manipulating DNS servers to send a large volume of data to a victim’s IP address, overwhelming their network and causing a denial of service. However, this is just one of many types of DDoS attacks that organizations need to be aware of, as highlighted by an article on the AT&T Cybersecurity website.
To stay ahead of these evolving threats, organizations are increasingly turning to advanced DDoS mitigation techniques. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides valuable resources on this topic, emphasizing the need for real-time monitoring and detection systems, as well as effective traffic filtering and rate limiting mechanisms.
Akamai, a leading provider of Content Delivery Network (CDN) services, has been at the forefront of DDoS prevention and mitigation. In their white paper “The Evolution of DDoS: Return of the Hacktivist,” they detail the changing landscape of DDoS attacks and the rise of hacktivist groups as prominent attackers. They also highlight the importance of a multi-layered defense strategy that includes a combination of network infrastructure investments, web application firewalls, and real-time threat intelligence.
In a blog post titled “The Relentless Evolution of DDoS Attacks,” Akamai Technologies further explains how attackers constantly adapt their techniques to bypass traditional security measures. They emphasize the need for organizations to have a comprehensive understanding of their network infrastructure and continuously update their defense strategies to address emerging threats.
Another aspect highlighted in the discussion is the increasing use of ransomware in DDoS attacks. Steve Winterfeld, in his blog post “Ransomware on the Move: Evolving Exploitation Techniques and the Active Pursuit of Zero-Days,” sheds light on the evolving tactics employed by ransomware operators. These attackers are now combining DDoS attacks with ransomware to not only disrupt online services but also extort money from victims.
As organizations continue to digitize their operations and rely more heavily on connected technologies, the importance of securing the edge becomes paramount. AT&T Cybersecurity’s white paper “2023 The Edge Ecosystem” emphasizes the need for robust security measures at the network edge to protect against DDoS attacks. They provide insights into the key components of a comprehensive edge security strategy, including threat intelligence, secure gateways, and network segmentation.
In conclusion, the discussion on the CyberWire Hash Table podcast highlights the ever-evolving nature of DDoS attacks and the importance of implementing effective prevention and mitigation strategies. Organizations must stay up to date with the latest attack trends, leverage advanced techniques, and collaborate with industry experts to safeguard their network infrastructure and protect against the financial and reputational damage caused by DDoS attacks.