In the first half of 2024, cyberattacks have surged globally, with Radware’s H1 2024 Global Threat Analysis Report shedding light on the alarming increase in malicious activity. Geopolitical tensions, international events, and the democratisation of AI are key drivers behind this escalation. Radware’s report outlines the various sectors and regions bearing the brunt of the assaults.
Key Findings:
- Application-Layer DNS DDoS Attacks Quadruple
Compared to the same period in 2023, application-layer DNS DDoS attack activity quadrupled. This surge highlights the critical vulnerabilities within internet infrastructure. Finance organisations are the hardest hit, representing 52% of total Layer 7 DNS Flood attacks. - EMEA: DDoS Hotspot
The report emphasises that over 90% of web DDoS attacks targeted organizations in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa). In a record-breaking event, a six-day attack on a financial institution sustained a peak of 14.7 million requests per second (RPS), showcasing the rising sophistication of these assaults. - North America Bears the Brunt of Web Application Attacks
North America was the main target of web application and API attacks, accounting for 66% of the global volume. The growing dependence on cloud services and online applications in the region makes it particularly vulnerable. - Hacktivist Activity Surges
The hacktivist group NoName057(16) topped the charts with nearly 1,900 DDoS attacks claimed during the period. Ukraine remained a top target, with double the number of attacks compared to the same period in 2023. - Network-Layer DDoS: A Finance Sector Nightmare
Globally, finance organisations experienced 44% of network-layer DDoS attacks. The report also reveals a significant spike in attack volumes in EMEA and APAC regions, with average blocked attack volumes up by 293% and 302%, respectively.
Conclusion
The first half of 2024 has proven that cyber threats are evolving, becoming more frequent and powerful. As AI technologies become more accessible to threat actors, organisations across the globe need to bolster their defences to navigate the ever-growing threat landscape. Radware’s full Global Threat Analysis Report provides further insights into the challenges ahead.
For more details, download Radware’s 2024 Global Threat Analysis Report.
