Which Industries Are Most Affected by DDoS Attacks?
Cyberattacks can happen anywhere in the world and at virtually any time. Targets range from international corporations to small businesses, and even governments are potential victims of DDoS attacks.
Although all companies should have a DDoS attack prevention plan, the truth is that some sectors and even countries are more likely to be attacked than others.
COVID-19 and the Rise in DDoS Attacks
Since it started, the COVID-19 pandemic has created significant uncertainty. Similarly, it brought about many changes at all levels of the industry. The rise in online activity resulted from many people who switched to working remotely overnight, increasing the chances of suffering DDoS attacks.
DDoS attacks have intensified and become more sophisticated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many organizations face security challenges to provide secure connections for their employees working remotely.
The automotive industry reported a 108% surge in DDoS attacks since the pandemic’s start. The telecommunications and marketing sectors have had 53% and 43% more attacks, respectively.
This speaks to the need to have clearer DDoS attack prevention strategies. Not only during difficult times such as the pandemic but always.
Industries With the Most DDoS Attacks
Despite the overall growth in the number of attacks in some industries during COVID, specific sectors are quintessential targets for cybercriminals.
At the end of 2019, the Mexican newspaper El Economista analyzed the industries with the highest rates of DDoS attacks. The review, based on various international and private-sector studies, reveals five sectors have been most affected by cyberattacks:
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Financial institutions:
According to the “State of Cybersecurity in the Mexican Financial System” report, during 2018, banks, FinTech’s, SOCAPS (savings and loan cooperatives), and SOFIPOS (popular financial companies) suffered attacks that cost them about 107 million dollars in response and recovery.
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Critical infrastructure systems:
Critical infrastructure, both physical and virtual, provides essential functions and services to support social, economic, and environmental systems. Within a company, critical infrastructure systems enable business operations and growth.
DDoS attacks in this sector disrupted operations, leading to significant economic losses. In addition, they pose risks to the environment and human life.
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Industry 4.0:
Because this sector relies heavily on connectivity, automation, and real-time data, it is often a target for DDoS attacks. This is a growing trend, and due to the nature of this sector, the risk also extends to the supply chain.
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Supply chain:
DDoS attacks aim to breach third-party equipment and machinery. These third parties may be a company’s suppliers, leading to malware affecting other systems in the organization. When cybercriminals attack them, the company’s operation and reputation are also impacted.
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End users:
DDoS attack prevention is essential at every level. In addition to large businesses, your family, friends, and neighbors can also be targets of cyberattacks. When connecting to the Internet from devices where sensitive information is stored, we need to implement actions to minimize risk.
DDoS attacks continue to grow in magnitude, frequency, and sophistication. To successfully cope with them, it is essential to leverage state-of-the-art technology.
NGIN Services offers different solutions so your organization can protect against potential cyberattacks. Contact us today.
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