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With the IT team's attention focused elsewhere, it is easy for otherwise alarming behaviour to
slip through the cracks. False-positives are already a common headache for those monitoring
network activity, and during a time of crisis, it becomes much easier to neglect best practices
and allow for incidents such as malware injection or data theft to occur.

You typically don't realize a DDoS attack is being used as a smokescreen for a larger security
incident until it's too late. The best defense comes from ensuring that all normal cybersecurity
processes are continued in the wake of an attack and never assuming the worst is over.

Ransom
The last form of attack has the most obvious pay off for hackers: cold hard cash (or at least cold
hard cryptocurrency). For companies involved in e-commerce, stock trading, customer service
and basically any form of business requiring access to a website or portal, extended network
downtime is not an option.

Depending on the resources of attackers, sophisticated DDoS attacks on improperly secured
networks can be extended for days, costing companies thousands and even millions of dollars
in lost business. Attackers know this and prey on businesses looking to cut their losses and pay
their way out of the situation. The good news is these attacks are easy to categorize since they
come in conjunction with a communication demanding a ransom. The bad news is the price tag
(usually requested in Bitcoin) is at the complete discretion of the attacks, and as more
companies pay up, the demands are only bound to increase.

About the Author

Chris Gale, EMEA Partner Director at A10 Networks

About A10 Networks

A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) is a leader in application networking and security, providing a
range of high-performance application networking solutions that help organizations ensure that
their data center applications and networks remain highly available, accelerated and secure.

52 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – June 2016 Edition
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