According to a new report by NETSCOUT, the number of observed DDoS attacks increased dramatically in 2020.

Indeed, there was a 20% increase in the number of DDoS attacks from 2019 to 2020, with a 22% spike in the last six months of the year. The rise of DDoS attacks was due to the pandemic, where cybercriminals started to exploit vulnerabilities exposed by massive internet usage shifts.

The study showed that e-commerce, streaming services, online learning, and healthcare, were the most popular targets for DDoS operators in 2020. Besides, it was also found out that new UDP-based attack vectors might be responsible for the DDoS uptick.

The report then advises organisations to prepare themselves as well as having the help of DDoS experts in order to defend against DDoS attacks. Hence, companies should consider DDoS as a normal part of their risk posture and plan the necessary protections.