NETSCOUT Systems has launched Adaptive DDoS Protection for Arbor Edge Defense (AED). The aim is to guard ISPs and enterprises from escalating DNS water torture attacks, which have seen a 353% increase in the first half of 2023.
The new solution auto-learns and adapts to DNS server changes, enabling it to identify and counteract these attacks. It provides a scalable, stateless packet processing solution that uses wide-ranging visibility into internet traffic, real-time global DDoS threat intelligence, and significant DDoS mitigation experience.
- Netscout Systems has launched Adaptive DDoS Protection for Arbor Edge Defense (AED) to combat DNS water torture attacks.
- DNS water torture attacks have increased by 353% in the first half of 2023, causing significant disruptions to DNS services.
- Adaptive DDoS Protection uses advanced techniques to automatically detect and mitigate dynamic DDoS attacks, providing a scalable and always-on solution.
Unveiling the Adaptive DDoS Protection
In a bid to combat the alarming rise in Domain Name System (DNS) water torture attacks, NETSCOUT SYSTEMS, INC. has unleashed its Adaptive DDoS Protection for Arbor Edge Defense (AED).
According to the latest NETSCOUT DDoS Threat Intelligence Report, there has been a whopping 353% escalation in these attacks in the first six months of 2023.
Understanding DNS Water Torture Attacks
John Grady, a principal at Enterprise Strategy Group, shed light on DNS water torture attacks, saying:
“DNS water torture DDoS attacks have been around since 1997, yet many organisations still struggle to efficiently identify and mitigate them.”
These attacks operate by sending invalid requests to an authoritative DNS server to slow it down and obstruct legitimate requests from obtaining a response. Due to the prevalence of DNS, these attacks can be easily misdiagnosed as performance issues, thereby posing significant challenges to security teams.
How Does Adaptive DDoS Protection Work?
NETSCOUT’s Adaptive DDoS Protection is equipped to identify and mitigate various DDoS attack techniques. It achieves this through auto-learning legitimate hostnames for each domain by continually analysing DNS query and response packets. The system adapts to DNS server configuration changes to prevent blocking legitimate domains and changes to attack techniques. It also blocks DNS water torture IP sources on a query-by-query basis.
Benefits of Adaptive DDoS Protection
The Adaptive DDoS Protection offers a scalable, always-on, stateless packet processing solution. It leverages unparalleled visibility into more than half of all internet traffic, real-time global DDoS attack threat intelligence, and decades of DDoS mitigation experience to automatically detect, adapt to, and mitigate dynamic DDoS attacks.
Scott Iekel-Johnson, AVP, DDoS and Threat Intelligence at NETSCOUT, explained:
“Adaptive DDoS Protection for AED provides customers with a unique hybrid multi-layer DDoS defence architecture.”
This architecture can learn and filter millions of legitimate hostnames and thousands of domains, backed by NETSCOUT’s ATLAS Intelligence Feed (AIF), to thwart modern-day attacks and advanced threats.
Final Thoughts
The introduction of NETSCOUT’s Adaptive DDoS Protection is a timely response to the rising prevalence of DNS water torture attacks. While the battle against cyberattacks is far from over, it’s reassuring to see innovative solutions like this one that give businesses and ISPs a fighting chance.
With its adaptive capabilities and extensive insights, this solution could be a significant game-changer in the cybersecurity landscape. As we move forward, we can only hope for more advanced, adaptive, and intelligent solutions to keep our digital world secure.
FAQ
Q: What are DNS water torture attacks?
A: DNS water torture attacks involve sending invalid requests to an Authoritative DNS server to slow it down and prevent legitimate requests from receiving a response. These attacks have been around since 1997 and have increased by 353% in the first six months of 2023.
Q: Why do organisations struggle to identify and mitigate DNS water torture attacks?
A: Many organizations struggle to efficiently identify and mitigate DNS water torture attacks because blocking this traffic can potentially impact valid requests due to the widespread use of DNS. Additionally, these attacks can be easily misdiagnosed as performance issues.
Q: How does NETSCOUT’s Adaptive DDoS Protection for Arbor Edge Defense (AED) help in mitigating DNS water torture attacks?
A: NETSCOUT’s Adaptive DDoS Protection for AED auto-learns and adapts to changes in DNS server configuration, allowing it to identify and mitigate DNS water torture attacks. This solution provides a scalable and always-on packet processing solution that uses real-time global DDoS attack threat intelligence and decades of DDoS mitigation experience.
Q: What techniques does NETSCOUT’s Adaptive DDoS Protection use to protect against DDoS attacks?
A: NETSCOUT’s Adaptive DDoS Protection for AED protects against various DDoS attack techniques by auto-learning legitimate hostnames for each domain, adapting to DNS server configuration changes, and intelligently blocking DNS water torture IP sources on a query-by-query basis.
Q: How does Adaptive DDoS Protection provide a scalable defence architecture?
A: Adaptive DDoS Protection for AED offers customers a unique hybrid multi-layer DDoS defence architecture. It can learn and filter millions of legitimate hostnames and thousands of domains, backed by NETSCOUT’s ATLAS Intelligence Feed (AIF), to effectively thwart modern-day attacks and advanced threats.
