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Analysis
A game-changing denial-of-service attack
Steps to being better prepared
In the context of an uptick in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) incidents, one of the largest DDoS attacks ever witnessed was recently carried out against Dynamic Network Services (Dyn), a company that provides core Internet services for a variety of corporate websites. The method used was similar to any other DDoS attack; the target—Dyn, in this case—was inundated with massive amounts of redundant traffic to overwhelm its infrastructure, inhibiting its ability to provide normal services.
Denial-of-service (DDos) cyberattacks cause game-changing disruption
Besides being among the largest attacks of its type, this type of attack is a game-changer for two reasons:
- It turned everyday household internet-connected devices--also known as Internet of Things (IoT) devices--into a robotic cyber army of attackers;
- By disrupting a single entity, it caused rippling disruption to many others.
The attack crippled access to large websites, including Netflix, PayPal, Spotify, and Twitter, by disrupting Dyn's Domain Name Service (DNS) services. The incident underscores that the fast-growing IoT broadens the risk profile for enterprises and that in today’s hyperconnected environment, an organization need not be the direct target of an attack to suffer significant business disruption or damage.
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