A beautiful game of two halves
Adrian Crawley asks the channel to get match fit and consider a different game
Brazil 2014 began last night, and anyone who knows me will tell you that my dream is to be in the stadium when England wins a football World Cup.
Sadly, it's not going to happen this year but the dream will come true for many Brazilian supporters. That's if they've been able to get tickets, of course.
In May, eBay-owned ticket seller StubHub was the victim of a massive DDoS attack which shut down the site to Brazilian customers. These days, more big events around the world are hit by cybercrime.
Hacktivist group Anonymous has said it intends to wage cyberwar on World Cup sponsors in protest at the poverty in Brazil, elided by the glitz and glamour surrounding the tournament.
I expect attacks on gambling sites, broadcasters and streaming providers as World Cup fever heightens.
As StubHub knows, not every brand will be lucky enough to get a warning. In fact, I anticipate that as political and economic unrest grows in certain regions around the world, stealth attacks will also grow exponentially. Government, financial, utilities and ISP-type organisations are the sectors most at risk.
The channel needs to get off the sidelines and get ready to play ball. With DDoS attacks attracting so much attention, organisations are becoming increasingly concerned that their businesses may be next.
Resellers could make money helping companies tackle the complex issues around cybersecurity.
It's crucial to know what tactics your opponents use. Two dominant types of DOS attack are the stealth type that uses brute force to flood the network, and those which create a distraction and go on to exploit a failing, open network design.
To keep abreast of the latest attack patterns and trends, check out the information from the National Crime Agency. A good vendor partner should also issue alerts, regardless of your size.
Once you know your enemy, you can plan the attack and your role in the game.
The next question to ask is who is susceptible and why. If you can understand the sectors most at risk, why they will be targeted and what the prize is – disruption, data, reputation damage, or all three – you can set out what you have to offer and identify your competitors' weaknesses.
Get it right and this will move you from Second Division to Premier League. It's a fantastic opportunity to move into managed services as well.
If you don't have all the skills, you can either put your team on a focused training programme with a knowledgeable vendor partner, or put a partner in a "deep field" position up the back, where they can help you as needed.
Once you're match fit and you've got a game strategy, work out how you position yourself. This could make all the difference to the odds.
Ensure you stand out as well. What are you going to be known for and how do you communicate it?
Just as we'll see in Brazil, the fittest teams that can withstand the pressure, know their opponents and are fleetest of foot will succeed. Bill Shankly, a former Liverpool FC manager, once reportedly said: "Aim for the sky and you'll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you'll stay on the floor."
You may have to take a leap of faith, transform how you perform, and take some risks.
Adrian Crawley is UK and Ireland director of Radware