DDoS attacks increase sharply thanks to the support of AI

According to Radware, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks targeting web applications increased by 550% year-over-year in 2024. The increase is due to cybercriminals integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their tools, making attacks more complex and effective.

Web application layer DDoS attacks target the seventh application layer of the OSI model, where protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, and FTP operate. Unlike traditional methods of flooding a network with bandwidth, Radware said attackers exhaust server resources by simulating legitimate requests from users. This method is particularly dangerous because it is difficult to distinguish between legitimate and malicious traffic.

The integration of AI into tools has helped cybercriminals carry out DDoS attacks with greater accuracy and efficiency. AI’s ability to learn and analyze, identify and exploit security vulnerabilities, combined with the ability to make quick decisions, has allowed for real-time adaptation of attack tactics, creating a major challenge for defense systems.

The report from Radware says that the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) will be the most affected by DDoS attacks in 2024, accounting for 78% of all recorded attacks globally. Meanwhile, North America will account for 66% of attacks on web applications and APIs.

DDoS attacks in 2024 will be more dangerous thanks to the help of AI

The most attacked industries are automotive, IT, telecommunications, finance, government and education. These are sectors that contain sensitive data and are highly connected, making them easy targets for cybercriminals.

The financial and transportation services sectors also saw a nearly 400% increase in DDoS attacks, making them the hardest hit sectors. Attacks by politically motivated hacker groups also increased by 20% globally.

The telecommunications industry was hit hardest, facing 43% of all global DDoS attacks, followed by the financial sector at 30%. The financial sector was also the top target for DNS attacks, accounting for 44% of global activity.

The dramatic increase in AI-powered DDoS attacks has posed major challenges to global cybersecurity. Traditional defense systems are increasingly ineffective against today’s sophisticated and diverse attacks. To protect their systems and data, Radware said organizations and businesses need to raise cybersecurity awareness, invest in modern defense measures, and regularly update security technology.