The number of DDoS attacks globally is on the rise and it is a trend likely to continue throughout 2023, according to cyber defence solution provider Corero Network Security.

The firm predicts that packet-per-second DDoS attacks will continue to increase, surpassing the record-breaking sizes its Threat Intelligence Team has tracked throughout this year. It warns that attackers are likely to deploy ever higher rate request-based or packets-per-second attacks.

Ashley Stephenson, CTO at Corero, said: “DDoS attacks have historically focused around sending packets of large sizes with the aim to paralyze and disrupt the internet pipeline by exceeding the available bandwidth. Recent request-based attacks, however, are sending smaller size packets, to target higher transaction processing to overwhelm a target. Those with responsibility for network health and internet service uptime should be taking note of this trend.”

Corero also predicts that 2023 will see more breaches being reported, because of the increasing trend for transparency in data protection regulations. Regulations such as the UK Government’s Telecoms Security Bill will compel organisations to publicly disclose more cyber incidents. There is also the possibility of the legal responsibility for bad corporate behaviour when dealing with breaches being linked to individual executives. Examples such as Joe Sullivan, the former head of security at Uber, who was recently found guilty of hiding a 2016 breach, could set a precedent for linking data protection decisions to the personal legal accountability of senior executives.

Cyberwarfare linked to the conflict in Ukraine is also set to continue Corero suggests, with DDoS a key weapon in the Ukrainian and other conflicts both to paralyse key services and to drive political propaganda objectives. DDoS attack numbers rose significantly after the Russian invasion in February and DDoS continues to be used as an asymmetric weapon in the ongoing struggle.

Lionel Chmilewsky, CEO at Corero Network Security, said: “Throughout 2022, we observed DDoS attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated while at the same time the DDoS attack surface is expanding. With the number of recorded attacks on the rise and significant shifts in attackers’ motives and goals, 2023 will require organisations to ensure they have robust DDoS defence in place.”

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