Radware Report: Malicious Web Application Attacks Climb 88%
Radware (NASDAQ: RDWR) released its 2021-2022 Global Threat Analysis Report, indicating 2021 as the year of web application attacks with an 88% rise in malicious web requests.
Meanwhile, DDoS attacks increased by 37%, with notable shifts towards micro floods and ransom denial-of-service (RDoS) tactics, reflecting a growing sophistication among cybercriminals.
The report emphasizes the need for companies migrating to the public cloud to bolster their defenses against large-scale attacks and highlights the top attacked sectors, including gaming and retail.
- 88% increase in malicious web application requests from 2020 to 2021.
- 37% growth in malicious DDoS events per customer compared to 2020.
- Forecast of cloud-scale DDoS attacks suggests strong market relevance for Radware's services.
- Ransom DoS (RDoS) attacks have shown a pervasive presence, causing concern for critical infrastructure.
- The report indicates shifts in attack patterns, suggesting that businesses may need increased resources to fend off evolving threats.
Other findings: Enterprises face increasingly “professional” attackers taking charge of the cloud environment
MAHWAH, N.J., March 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a leading provider of cyber security and application delivery solutions, today released its 2021-2022 Global Threat Analysis Report. The report findings underscore 2021 as the year of the web application attack. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of malicious web application requests climbed
The unprecedented increase in web application attacks did not, however, prevent DDoS from making a name for itself in 2021. The report details how last year saw multiple record-breaking DDoS attacks and ransom denial-of-service (RDoS) earn its place in the threat landscape. At the same time that big attacks were making headlines, the volume of micro floods, attacks which often go undetected, rose nearly
“The statistics tell a story about bad actors. They are getting smarter, more organized, and more targeted in pursuing their objectives — whether that be for money, fame, or a political cause,” said Pascal Geenens, director of threat intelligence for Radware. “In addition, cybercriminals are shifting their attack patterns — from leveraging larger attack vectors to combining multiple vectors in more complex-to-mitigate campaigns. Ransomware operators and their affiliates, which now include DDoS-for-hire actors, are working with a whole new level of professionalism and discipline — something that we have not seen before.”
Radware’s 2021-2022 Global Threat Analysis Report reviews the most important cyber security events in 2021 and provides detailed insights into DDoS and web application attack developments as well as unsolicited network scanning trends. Key takeaways from the report include:
- Cloud-Scale DDoS Attacks are in the Forecast: As more businesses migrate critical resources and applications to the public cloud, attackers are adapting their tactics and techniques to match the scale of public cloud providers. While enterprises should not be immediately alarmed by reports of huge attacks, they do need to be aware that DDoS attacks are a part of their threat landscape, irrespective of their geography or industry. Companies hosting services in the public cloud need to be prepared for cloud-scale attacks.
- Ransom DoS (RDoS) Gangs Take Charge: In 2020, there was an uptick in DDoS attacks against organizations that did not pay a ransom demand on time. In 2021, RDoS confirmed its pervasive presence in the DDoS threat landscape with several campaigns. This included attacks targeting VoIP providers worldwide, which sparked concern for critical infrastructure.
- Ransomware Operators Turn to Triple Extortion: In 2021, more sophisticated and better organized operators advanced their tactics, adding more extortion capabilities to their arsenal. To bring reluctant victims back to the negotiating table, they launched triple extortion campaigns by combining not only cryptolocking and data leaks, but also DDoS attacks. As a result, the flourishing underground economy supported by ransomware operators is seeing a new demand for DDoS-for-hire services.
- Micro Floods Make a Big Showing: While the number of large attack vectors (above 10Gbps) declined
5% between 2020 and 2021, micro floods (less than 1Gbps) and application-level attacks rose nearly80% higher. By shrewdly combining a large number of micro floods over longer periods of time, attackers put organizations at greater risk of having to constantly increase infrastructure resources, such as bandwidth, and network and server processing, until the service can become cost prohibitive.
Other key results from the 2021-2022 Global Threat Analysis Report include:
DDoS Attacks
In 2021, the number of malicious DDoS events increased by
Average 2021 DDoS attack volumes per customer grew by
The top attacked industries in 2021 were gaming and retail, each accounting for
Web Application Attacks
The number of malicious web application requests grew
The most attacked industries in 2021 were banking and finance, along with SaaS providers, together accounting for more than
Radware’s complete 2021-2022 Global Threat Analysis Report can be downloaded here. The report leverages intelligence provided by network and application attack activity sourced from Radware’s Cloud and Managed Services, Global Deception Network, and threat research team.
About Radware
Radware® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader of cyber security and application delivery solutions for physical, cloud, and software defined data centers. Its award-winning solutions portfolio secures the digital experience by providing infrastructure, application, and corporate IT protection, and availability services to enterprises globally. Radware’s solutions empower enterprise and carrier customers worldwide to adapt to market challenges quickly, maintain business continuity, and achieve maximum productivity while keeping costs down. For more information, please visit the Radware website.
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Media Contacts:
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Radware
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FAQ
What did Radware's 2021-2022 Global Threat Analysis Report reveal about web application attacks?
How much did DDoS attacks increase in 2021 according to Radware?
Which industries were most affected by cyber attacks in 2021 as per Radware's report?
What are micro floods and how did they change from 2020 to 2021?
