What is a DDoS attack?

A Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack does just that – denies service by rendering your website inaccessible. Multiple computer systems (aka a botnet) work together to stage an attack, simultaneously spamming your website with fake requests. Your website becomes overwhelmed, making it unavailable to legitimate users.

DDoS attacks can allow cybercriminals to perform a number of malicious actions. There are several different kinds of DDoS attacks, but common goals include:

• Smokescreen: create a diversion to breach your site’s security perimeter

• Theft: once security is breached, customers’ logins and data become available for the taking

• Shutdown: exhausting a site’s computing resources prevents legitimate users from gaining access to the site

• Extortion: blackmail the victim, demanding money to call off on an attack

Hackers of all types can execute a DDoS attack but cybercriminal organisations, in particular, offer what is known as DDoS-for-hire services. Someone may contract one of these services to shut down a competitors website, putting them out of business.

Despite the fact that law enforcement agencies around the world have stepped up efforts to pursue and prosecute criminals who engage in DDoS-for-hire, a new study shows that DDoS-for-hire may explain a recent uptick in DDoS attacks.

DDoS attack numbers increase

Several cybercrime specialists reported back in 2018 that DDoS attacks seemed to be on the decline. But new research from Kaspersky Lab shows that DDoS attacks, particularly those lasting longer than an hour, have increased sharply in the past year.

In its recently published report, DDoS attacks in Q1 2019, Kaspersky Lab reports:

• In the first three months of 2019, the number of sustained DDoS attacks nearly doubled from those seen in Q4 2018

• SYN flooding increased to 84%, while HTTP increased to 3.3% and ICMP to 0.6%

• Just over one in ten (10.13%) of DDoS attacks lasted between five and nine hours

• 9.37% lasted between ten and forty-nine hours

• Number of attacks lasting less than four hours declined from 83.34% in Q4 2018 to 78.66% in Q1 2019

• China reported the highest number of sustained DDoS attacks (67%), the U.S. the second largest (17.17%), and Hong Kong the third (4.81%)

Kaspersky Labs were among the watchdogs who reported in 2018 that DDoS attack numbers were falling, leading to speculation that law enforcement efforts to take down DDoS-for-Hire sites were working. At the time, many cybersecurity specialist speculated cybercriminals were turning their attention to other forms of attack.

However, based on its recent findings, Kaspersky Lab is now speculating that new DDoS suppliers have stepped in to fill the vacuum.

DDoS-for-hire website seized by FBI

DDoS protection options

In light of its findings, Kaspersky Labs has issued a warning: “We recommend that organisations prepare themselves effectively in order to withstand sophisticated DDoS attacks.” EuroDNS can help.

DNS services

Our Classic DNS and Professional DNS services are highly reliable, both equipped with strong DDoS protection. Powered by Anycast networks, you can expect the following from our DNS options:

• Built-in DDoS mitigation to ensures uptime and availability is not impacted
• Attack traffic shared with numerous servers, none of which will be compromised by full power of an attack
• Stronger defence than Unicast, which is more likely to be compromised by full-on attack traffic

Web hosting

Our Core Shared and Advanced Web Hosting options are equipped with:

• Level 3 and level 4 DDoS protection
• Intrusion prevention
• Firewall
• Automatic security advisor

DDoS mitigation and other security precautions

DDoS protection is a crucial part of your overall overall security plan. But don't forget that it's just one piece of a larger puzzle which should also include:

• HTTPS-encrypted SSL certificates
• DNS alias and CAA records
• Domain privacy
• DNSSEC

Stay safe. A robust cybersecurity plan will help protect you from cybercriminals who won't think twice before putting you and your users at risk.

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