DDoS attacks double in Q3

Figures from Imperva show sharp increase in network and application layer DDoS attacks

The amount DDoS attacks that Imperva noted in Q3 were double that of the previous quarter, according to the firm's latest figures.

Using data from attacks on the web-security vendor's services, Imperva found that DDoS attacks were up 116 per cent from the previous quarter.

The vendor noted 2,732 network layer and 5,020 application layer DDoS attacks, up 108.5 per cent and 121.9 per cent respectively from Q2.

In the report Imperva found that while network layer attacks were on the rise, the duration of these assaults "dropped significantly", with 88.2 per cent lasting less than an hour.

The security vendor said this data suggests a rise in DDoS-for-hire attacks.

"These hit-and-run barrages point to an ongoing trend in which perpetrators prefer to launch multiple assaults against a number of targets, as opposed to a single prolonged attack," the report said.

"They are also a sign of DDoS-for-hire (a.k.a., stressers or booters) service usage, which offer subscribers a rationed access to botnet resources - enough to launch a few short duration, mid-sized attacks."

But whereas network layer attacks saw a decrease in length, application layer attacks "saw a marked increase" in duration, with 14.6 per cent lasting longer than 12 hours - up from 6.2 in the last quarter.

The report comes two weeks after CRN revealed that a number of UK e-tailers, including Aria Technology, were hit by DDoS attacks.