This post will expose the top 5 DDoS attack challenges for Telecom companies.
Today's world runs on the Internet. From traffic control systems to shopping, banking, transaction processing, and communication — without the worldwide web, many activities we take for granted would be impossible, and many vital services would fail.
Similarly to a cellular network or radio, the Internet is a communication protocol used by global communication companies to serve corporate and private consumers. Without them, the internet would stop working. These companies are prime targets for attacks these days. Â
Table of Contents
The DDoS Threat
DDoS or Distributed Denial of Service, is a cyber-attack where the ill-wisher overloads the network with bot traffic and renders online resources unavailable to visitors. When a DDoS attack targets a singular website or online service, that resource becomes disabled and appears to visitors as a never-loading webpage.
However, if an attack instead targets a network provider and overloads its defense mechanism, all services that rely on that network become simultaneously unavailable.
Today, the number of attacks is on the rise. In 2020, cybersecurity experts recorded over 10 million DDoS attacks. A 15% increase from the already mind-boggling 8.5 million recorded in 2019. Experts say that in 2021, this number will increase further.
The need for DDoS protection is dire, and not only because of increasing attack volume. In 2019, one cybersecurity research surveyed over 320 telecom companies to assess the readiness of the communication industry to defend against DDoS.
The research revealed that while 85% of respondents recorded a steady or increasing rate of attacks, only 34% evaluated their defenses as adequately or comprehensively effective. Not a good outlook.
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The Challenges
Constantly evolving DDoS attacks are outpacing the defense sector, and many companies have yet to take the threat seriously and invest in robust DDoS protection.
Here are the main DDoS attack challenges that communication — and other — companies face in the battle against DDoS.Â
1. Diversity and complexity of attacks
Cybersecurity researchers classify up to 35 different types of DDoS attacks. ICMP (Ping) Flood, SYN Flood, HTTP Flood, Slowloris, and Zero-day DDoS Attacks are just a few examples from a long list. Each requires a tailored defense.
2. The need for manual prevention
Not all attacks can be mitigated on autopilot. Sometimes, trained professionals are required to intervene. However, many companies today lack the necessary in-house expertise. For example, 60% of companies in Britain surveyed by the CSO reported understuffed cyber-security departments.
3. Lack of actionable intelligence
The intelligence, research, and analytics in cybersecurity is a sector that is yet to mature fully. As of today, experts note that intelligence, particularly on DDoS attacks, is scattered and disconnected from practical prevention solutions.
Worse yet, much false or contradicting information floats around on the internet, further complicating prevention.
4. Cost prohibitive defenses
While most effective when given lots of free bandwidth, on-site DDoS mitigation solutions prove to be too costly for many companies due to the sheer server computing power required.
As a result, companies that don’t invest in on-site protection nor seek out a robust cloud-based alternative remain under-prepared to mitigate larger attacks.Â
5. Lack of granular control for agile responses
The combination of the above challenges leads to the lack of readiness to quickly adapt and respond to constantly evolving and changing DDoS attacks.
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How To Get Effective Protection Against Anonymous DDoS Attack
Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, particularly those launched by anonymous groups, can cripple your online presence and inflict significant damage. Here's a comprehensive guide on safeguarding your system against such attacks:
Understanding the Threat
Anonymous DDoS attacks often involve overwhelming your system with massive amounts of traffic from various sources, making it unavailable to legitimate users. These attacks can target websites, online services, or even entire networks.
Defense Strategies
- Strengthen Your Infrastructure:Â Invest in a robust and scalable server infrastructure that can handle high traffic volumes. Consider cloud-based solutions offering built-in DDoS mitigation features.
- Security Services:Â Partner with a reputable security service provider with expertise in DDoS mitigation. These providers offer real-time traffic monitoring, filtering, and rerouting capabilities to neutralize DDoS attacks.
- Traffic Filtering:Â Implement robust traffic filtering mechanisms to identify and block suspicious incoming traffic patterns.
- Rate Limiting:Â Set limits on the number of requests a single IP address can send within a specific timeframe. This can help prevent a single source from overwhelming your system.
- Web Application Firewalls (WAFs):Â Deploy a WAF to filter incoming traffic and block malicious requests targeting vulnerabilities in your web applications.
- Backups and Redundancy: Maintain regular backups of your data and implement redundancy measures for critical systems. This ensures minimal disruption in case of an attack. Use an AntivirusWithVPN solution.
Additional Considerations:
- Stay Informed:Â Keep yourself updated on the latest DDoS attack trends and mitigation strategies.
- Incident Response Plan:Â Develop a comprehensive incident response plan outlining steps to take if a DDoS attack occurs. This plan should include communication protocols, team roles, and recovery procedures.
- Vulnerability Management:Â Regularly scan your systems for vulnerabilities and patch them promptly. Unpatched vulnerabilities can serve as entry points for DDoS attacks.
- Law Enforcement:Â If you suspect a targeted DDoS attack, consider reporting it to law enforcement agencies for investigation.
Conclusion: Beyond Anonymous Attacks
While these strategies address anonymous DDoS attacks specifically, they also provide a strong foundation for overall security against various cyber threats.
Adopting a multi-layered approach can significantly enhance your system's resilience against a wide range of malicious activities.
Note: This was initially published in March 2021, but has been updated for freshness and accuracy.
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About the Author:
Gina Lynch is a VPN expert and online privacy advocate who stands for the right to online freedom. She is highly knowledgeable in the field of cybersecurity, with years of experience in researching and writing about the topic. Gina is a strong advocate of digital privacy and strives to educate the public on the importance of keeping their data secure and private. She has become a trusted expert in the field and continues to share her knowledge and advice to help others protect their online identities.
