Intelligent CISO Issue 71 | Page 44

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HOW TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS CAN BEST TACKLE DDOS ATTACKS

Amr Alashaal , Regional Vice President – Middle East at A10 Networks tells us how telecommunications providers can effectively fortify their defences against the escalating threat of DDoS attacks .
Amr Alashaal , Regional Vice President – Middle East at A10 Networks

T here is an increasing incidence of cyberthreats posed to telecommunications providers . There is a definite need for telcos to strengthen their overall security posture and improve resilience against serviceimpacting attacks , such as DDoS attacks .

The good news is that we have seen communication service providers ( CSPs ) responding to these higher threats and tighter compliance requirements . Our 2023 research , which surveyed 2,750 senior IT professionals in CSPs , suggests that they are investing in enhancing their network security to counter increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats such as DDoS attacks .
Adopting a defence-in-depth approach
Over the last two years , CSPs have made significant progress in upgrading their cyberdefences . In our inaugural CSP 2021 study , we found the highest priority security investments were for more basic security upgrades such as firewalls . This year , however , while firewall upgrades were still the highest priority , we found respondents aiming for a more mature , multi-layered and defence-in-depth approach to security .
With 68 % of all 2023 respondents expecting network traffic volumes to increase by over 50 % in the next two to three years , firewalls and other security appliances must be routinely upgraded just to handle the increased traffic volume . Despite this , the percentage prioritising firewalls dropped from 48 % in 2021 to 28 % in 2023 .
The growing importance of DDoS detection and monitoring
Other investments deemed nearly as important as firewalls were DDoS detection and monitoring , automation of security policies , investment in ransomware and malware protection services and threat intelligence . Respondents also indicated interest in simplifying and integrating disparate point solutions .
This all points to a higher focus on security investments overall and a greater focus on capabilities that enable a more proactive approach rather than reactive response , such as DDoS detection ( now the second highest priority ) versus reactive DDoS attack mitigation ( the least important priority ) in the 2023 survey .
Additionally , with telecommunications considered a critical infrastructure , telecommunications organisations have a unique responsibility to protect the availability of their networks , data and services . With two-thirds of respondents planning to extend their networks to unserved and underserved communities , protection of network availability and subscriber privacy is critical to their ongoing success .
This is an increasingly complex task as traffic volumes surge , and they build out to more remote and vulnerable communities . To achieve this , we recommend telecommunications providers should follow the below key steps :
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