2024-10-06 16:51:00
A NETSCOUTa global leader in cybersecurity solutions, released its latest DDoS Threat Intelligence Report 2024.1revealing a worrying increase in cyber attacks in Brazil. The country suffered 372,825 DDoS attacks in the first half of 2024, consolidating its position as the most targeted in Latin America. In 2023, 357,422 attacks were recorded.
DDoS attacks on the rise and rise in global hacktivism
The report also highlighted a significant increase in hacktivist activity around the world, with hacker groups stepping up their efforts against critical infrastructure. Brazil, like other regions, has seen an increase in attacks multivetoriais — which use several techniques at the same time — especially against key sectors such as banks, telecommunications and government services.
According to Richard Hummeldirector of threat intelligence at NETSCOUT, “DDoS attacks are increasingly sophisticated, which makes their detection and mitigation more complex.” These attacks, according to the report, are disrupting essential services and posing a significant risk to global cybersecurity, especially when conducted by hacktivists motivated by political ideologies.
Which sectors are most attacked?
In Brazil, the main targets of cybercriminals include:
- Wireless Telecommunications Operators (76,667 attacks)
- Data Processing and Related Services (24,753 attacks)
- Wired Telecommunications Operators (20,438 attacks)
- General Cargo Road Transport (19,851 attacks)
- Web Search Portals and Other Information Services (7,511 attacks)
- Religious Organizations (4,204 attacks)
The largest attack recorded in the country occurred on January 5, 2024, with a peak in bandwidth 4 Tbps and a transfer fee of 350 Mppsdemonstrating the destructive capacity of these actions.
Global trends: shorter but more frequent attacks
In a global context, NETSCOUT observed that around 70% of DDoS attacks lasted less than 15 minutes, an indication of the speed and efficiency with which cybercriminals are operating. There was an increase in 43% in application layer attackssuch as HTTP/S GET and POST floods, often targeting websites and digital services.
Furthermore, the emergence of botnets such as Zergeca and the evolution of DDoS itused by the hacktivist group NoName057(16)show how criminals are using more advanced techniques to coordinate large-scale attacks. These botnets, often made up of infected devices, make defense more difficult as commands are decentralized and difficult to track.
Sectors such as banking, financial services and government agencies are particularly targeted, with DDoS attacks causing significant disruptions. NETSCOUT warns that the sophistication of these actions compromises revenue streams and essential services, directly affecting productivity and increasing organizations’ operational risks.
Solutions and recommendations
With threats constantly increasing, NETSCOUT recommends that companies adopt a proactive stance towards cybersecurity. This includes:
- Continuous monitoring of networks to identify anomalous behavior.
- Infrastructure update to deal with multi-vector attacks.
- Training IT teamsso that they are prepared to respond quickly to incidents.
Additionally, NETSCOUT emphasizes the importance of planning for DDoS protection when creating new networks or splits, as newly established networks are often targeted within the first 42 days of operation.
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