Record DDoS Attacks: Rising Threats from IoT-Based Botnets

The cybersecurity landscape faced a historic moment recently as Cloudflare reported mitigating the largest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack ever recorded. This massive attack peaked at an astounding 5.6 Tbps, powered by over 13,000 compromised Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which continued to be active, generating traffic against other targets for weeks to come. 

Understanding the Attack

This unprecedented DDoS attack targeted an Asian-based ISP and leveraged a botnet consisting of infected IoT devices such as smart TVs and set-top boxes. The botnet utilized the HITV_ST_PLATFORM user agent, which accounted for 99.9% of the total malicious requests. This data is a stark indicator that traffic originating from this user agent is almost exclusively malicious, with a mere 0.1% chance of being legitimate.

The attack is attributed to a Mirai-variant botnet. Mirai, notorious for its efficiency in exploiting IoT vulnerabilities, has evolved significantly since its initial emergence in 2016. Its latest variant demonstrates an alarming ability to mobilize vast numbers of compromised devices to unleash volumetric attacks of unprecedented scale.

Why IoT Devices?

IoT devices have long been an attractive target for cybercriminals. Their convenience and connectivity make them integral to modern lifestyles. However, this same connectivity makes them an attractive target for cybercriminals. In a competitive market where time-to-market is critical, cybersecurity considerations can sometimes take the back seat. IoT devices often lack robust security mechanisms, and their default settings, such as hardcoded credentials or outdated firmware, frequently go unchanged by users. Once compromised, these devices can be weaponized en masse to launch devastating attacks, including Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS).

The Scale of the Threat

The attack’s magnitude is a sobering reminder of how botnets continue to push the boundaries of DDoS capabilities. A peak rate of 5.6 Tbps underscores the potential for IoT-powered botnets to disrupt global internet services, overwhelm infrastructures, and impact critical sectors.

While this attack targeted an ISP, similar incidents could target financial institutions, healthcare providers, or or equally, small and medium sied businesses, who are amongst the least protected entities. The potential of causing widespread disruption can be seen in the weeks following the Cloudflare incident, where honeypots continued to pick up increased volumes of traffic originating from IoT devices.

Source : https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/#honeypot

With the proliferation of IoT devices, which are expected to reach 29 billion by 2030, the risks are poised to continue increasing. 

The introduction of the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) marks a significant step toward strengthening IoT device security across the region. By putting in place a cybersecurity baseline, manufacturers will be required to enhance consumer protection, however certain specifics related to the requirements remain to be published over the coming period.   

Mitigating the Risk

The record-breaking DDoS attack serves as a wake-up call for manufacturers, consumers, and cybersecurity professionals. The growing threat of IoT-driven DDoS attacks demands attention, and here are some immediate actions the industry could take:

1. Improved IoT Security Baseline - Manufacturers must prioritize security during the development phase, and where voluntary cybersecurity schemes exists, these should be considered proactively. Devices should ship with secure default settings, require users to create strong passwords with MFA, and offer automatic updates to address vulnerabilities promptly during the supported period.
   

2. Consumer Awareness - Users play a crucial role in securing IoT devices. Simple steps such as changing default credentials, enabling firmware updates, and separating IoT devices to a dedicated network can reduce the risk of compromise.  
   

3. IoT Regulation and Accountability - Governments should implement regulations that mandate minimum security requirements for IoT devices. By holding manufacturers accountable against a good standard, regulators can incentivize better practices across the industry.
   

The Road Ahead

As IoT devices continue to integrate into our lives, the need for comprehensive security measures becomes increasingly urgent. The largest DDoS attack in history is not just a technical milestone; the lessons learned from this incident must inform policies, practices, and innovations to prevent similar attacks in the future.

A long-term solution requires a collective effort to secure IoT ecosystems and disrupt the operations of malicious actors. Securing IoT devices is no longer optional, it is a necessity.