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ETSCOUT Systems has announced findings from its bi-annual Threat Intelligence Report .

During the second half of 2021 , cybercriminals launched approximately 4.4 million Distributed Denial of Service ( DDoS ) attacks , bringing the total number of DDoS attacks in 2021 to 9.75 million . These attacks represent a 3 % decrease from the record number set during the height of the pandemic but continue at a pace that ’ s 14 % above pre-pandemic levels .

The report details how the second half of 2021 established high-powered botnet armies and rebalanced the scales between volumetric and direct-path ( non-spoofed ) attacks , creating more sophisticated operating procedures for attackers and adding new tactics , techniques and methods to their arsenals .

“ While it may be tempting to look at the decrease in overall attacks as threat actors scaling back their efforts , we saw significantly higher activity compared to pre-pandemic levels ,” said Richard Hummel , Threat Intelligence Lead , NETSCOUT . “ The reality is that attackers are constantly innovating and adapting new techniques , including the use of server-class botnets , DDoSfor-Hire services and increased used direct-path attacks that continually perpetuate the advancement of the threat landscape .”

Other key findings from the report include :

• DDoS extortion and ransomware operations are on the rise . Three high-profile DDoS extortion campaigns simultaneously operating is a new high . Ransomware gangs including Avaddon , REvil , BlackCat , AvosLocker and Suncrypt were observed using DDoS to extort victims . Because of their success , ransomware groups have DDoS extortion operators masquerading as affiliates like the recent REvil DDoS Extortion campaign .

• VOIP services were targets of DDoS extortion . Worldwide DDoS extortion attack campaigns from the REvil

Richard Hummel , Threat Intelligence Lead , NETSCOUT

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