MA-NETSCOUT-SYSTEMS
NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC., (NASDAQ: NTCT) today announced findings from its bi-annual Threat Intelligence Report . During the second half of 2021, cybercriminals launched approximately 4.4 million Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, bringing the total number of DDoS attacks in 2021 to 9.75 million. These attacks represent a 3% decrease from the record number set during the height of the pandemic but continue at a pace that's 14% above pre-pandemic levels.
The report details how the second half of 2021 established high-powered botnet armies and rebalanced the scales between volumetric and direct-path (non-spoofed) attacks, creating more sophisticated operating procedures for attackers and adding new tactics, techniques, and methods to their arsenals.
“While it may be tempting to look at the decrease in overall attacks as threat actors scaling back their efforts, we saw significantly higher activity compared to pre-pandemic levels,” said Richard Hummel, threat intelligence lead, NETSCOUT. “The reality is that attackers are constantly innovating and adapting new techniques, including the use of server-class botnets, DDoS-for-Hire services, and increased used direct-path attacks that continually perpetuate the advancement of the threat landscape.”
Other key findings from the NETSCOUT 2H2021 Threat Intelligence Report include:
- DDoS Extortion and Ransomware Operations are on the rise. Three high-profile DDoS extortion campaigns simultaneously operating is a new high. Ransomware gangs including Avaddon, REvil, BlackCat, AvosLocker, and Suncrypt were observed using DDoS to extort victims. Because of their success, ransomware groups have DDoS extortion operators masquerading as affiliates like the recent REvil DDoS Extortion campaign.
- VOIP Services were Targets of DDoS Extortion. Worldwide DDoS extortion attack campaigns from the REvil copycat were waged against several VOIP services providers. One VOIP service provider reported $9M-$12M in revenue loss due to DDoS attacks.
- DDoS-for-Hire services made attacks easy to launch. NETSCOUT examined 19 DDoS-for-Hire services and their capabilities that eliminate the technical requirements and cost of launching massive DDoS attacks. When combined, they offer more than 200 different attack types.
- APAC attacks increased by 7% as other regions subsided . Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the Asia-Pacific region saw the most significant increase in attacks year over year compared to other regions.
- Server-class botnet armies arrived. Cybercriminals have not only increased the number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) botnets but have also conscripted high-powered servers and high-capacity network devices, as seen with the GitMirai, Meris, and Dvinis botnets.
- Direct-path attacks are gaining in popularity . Adversaries inundated organizations with TCP- and UDP-based floods, otherwise known as direct-path or non-spoofed attacks. Meanwhile, a decrease in some amplification attacks drove down the number of total attacks.
- Attackers targeted select industries . Those hardest hit include software publishers (606% increase), insurance agencies and brokers (257% increase), computer manufacturers (162% increase), and colleges, universities, and professional schools (102% increase)
- The fastest DDoS attack recorded a 107% year-over-year increase. Using DNS, DNS amplification, ICMP, TCP, ACK, TCP RST, and TCP SYN vectors, the multi-vector attack against a target in Russia recorded 453 Mpps.
NETSCOUT's Threat Intelligence Report covers the latest trends and activities in the DDoS threat landscape. It covers data captured from NETSCOUT's Active Level Threat Analysis System (ATLAS™) coupled with insights from NETSCOUT's ATLAS Security Engineering & Response Team.
The visibility and insights compiled from the global DDOS attack data, which is represented in the Threat Intelligence Report and can be seen in the Omnis Threat Horizon portal, fuel the ATLAS Intelligence Feed used across NETSCOUT's Omnis security portfolio to detect and block threat activity for enterprises and service providers worldwide.
Visit our interactive website for more information on NETSCOUT's semi-annual Threat Intelligence Report. You can also find us on Facebook , LinkedIn , and Twitter for threat updates and the latest trends and insights.
About NETSCOUT
NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC. (NASDAQ: NTCT) helps assure digital business services against security, availability, and performance disruptions. Our market and technology leadership stems from combining our patented smart data technology with smart analytics. We provide real-time, pervasive visibility and insights customers need to accelerate and secure their digital transformation. Omnis® Cyber Intelligence delivers the fastest and most scalable network security solution available on the market. NETSCOUT nGenius® service assurance solutions provide real-time, contextual analysis of service, network, and application performance. And Arbor® Smart DDoS Protection by NETSCOUT products help protect against attacks that threaten availability and advanced threats that infiltrate networks to steal critical business assets. To learn more about improving service, network, and application performance in physical or virtual data centers or in the cloud, and how NETSCOUT's security and performance solutions can help you move forward with confidence, visit www.netscout.com or follow @NETSCOUT on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
©2022 NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC. All rights reserved. NETSCOUT, the NETSCOUT logo, Guardians of the Connected World, Adaptive Service Intelligence, Arbor, ATLAS, Cyber Threat Horizon, InfiniStream, nGenius, nGeniusONE, and Omnis are registered trademarks or trademarks of NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220322005111/en/
Social Media:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
MultiBank Group Confirms $MBG Token TGE Set for July 22, 202512.7.2025 11:14:00 CEST | Press release
MultiBank Group, the world’s largest financial derivatives institution has officially announced that the Token Generation Event (TGE) for its highly anticipated $MBG Token will take place on July 22, 2025. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250712404220/en/ MultiBank Group has officially announced that the Token Generation Event (TGE) for its highly anticipated $MBG Token will take place on July 22, 2025. This milestone will mark the full activation of the $MBG Token on the blockchain, enabling holders to view and manage their balances across supported platforms. Following the token minting, users will be able to trade $MBG via MultiBank.io, the Group’s regulated crypto exchange and Uniswap, the world’s leading decentralized platform. The $MBG Token has garnered global attention for its rare combination of real-world utility, institutional backing, and strong deflationary mechanics. It is underpinned by $29 billi
Elegen and Nutcracker Therapeutics to Pilot First Fully Cell-Free Manufacturing Process for RNA-based Personalized Cancer Therapeutics11.7.2025 14:00:00 CEST | Press release
Fully cell-free process aims to further democratize personalized cancer therapeutic manufacturing with shorter turnaround times and negligible bioburden and endotoxin risks. Elegen, a global leader in next-generation DNA manufacturing, and Nutcracker Therapeutics, a global leader in next-generation RNA design and manufacturing, today announced the launch of a pilot program to demonstrate the industry’s first fully synthetic, cell-free manufacturing platform for RNA-based personalized cancer therapeutics (PCTs). The pilot marks another step toward making PCTs more accessible, timely, and scalable. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250711152688/en/ As late-stage PCT clinical trials progress and therapy developers work to create the next generation of PCTs, the speed, reliability, scaling and cost of traditional production methods pose a major challenge. Specifically, the first step of DNA template production is hi
$MBG Token Pre-Sale Set for July 15 — Only 7 Million Tokens Available at $0.3511.7.2025 10:17:00 CEST | Press release
MultiBank Group, the world’s largest financial derivatives institution headquartered in Dubai, has confirmed that its highly anticipated $MBG Token pre-sale will go live on July 15, with demand expected to be intense. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250711737311/en/ With only 7 million $MBG tokens up for grabs at an exclusive entry price of $0.35, this is a rare opportunity to secure early access to what many are calling the year’s most powerful utility asset. With only 7 million tokens up for grabs at an exclusive entry price of $0.35, this is a rare opportunity to secure early access to what many are calling the year’s most powerful utility asset. Early participants can join simultaneously on MultiBank.io, the Group’s regulated crypto exchange, and Uniswap, the world’s leading decentralized platform. Supported by $29 billion in real assets and powered by over $35 billion in daily turnover, $MBG is engineered
Live Story Raises €2.7 Million to Revolutionize the Digital Experience11.7.2025 10:05:00 CEST | Press release
With a round led by Vertis, the next-generation CMS platform accelerates its focus onAI, performance, and European expansion. Target: surpass €10M in recurring revenueby 2027. Live Story, the tech company founded by Stefano Mocellini, has closed a €2.7 million seed round led by Vertis, one of Italy’s leading early-growth venture capital firms. The funding will support the company’s international expansion and technological development, with a clear goal: to exceed €10 million in annual recurringrevenue by 2027. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250711335560/en/ “We invested in Live Story because it addresses one of the major inefficiencies in digital commerce: the slow and rigid management of visual and narrative content,” says Alessandro Pontari, Partner at Vertis SGR. “The platform helps brands drastically reduce their time-to-market through a visual CMS that integrates seamlessly with any tech stack. In a wor
With a Score of 84 out of 100, Sagemcom Is Awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal: a Prestigious Recognition of its CSR Commitment11.7.2025 09:00:00 CEST | Press release
Sagemcom Group is proud to announce that it has been awarded, for the third time, the Platinum Medal by EcoVadis, the highest distinction granted by the leading global platform for assessing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance. This medal places Sagemcom in the top 1% of companies evaluated worldwide, across all industries. With a score of 84 out of 100, Sagemcom reaffirms its position as a committed leader in ecological transition, business ethics, sustainable supply chain management, and social responsibility. “The EcoVadis Platinum Medal is more than just an award — it is the recognition of our collective efforts to embed sustainable development principles at the heart of our corporate strategy and culture,” says Sylvaine Couleur, Executive Vice President, CSR & Communication. “Achieving this level demonstrates that our commitments are tangible, impactful, and internationally recognized. This distinction strengthens our determination to further advance and expand our C
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom