DDoS attacks on UK telecom providers expose VoIP businesses to risks

04th November 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has seen a sharp spike in cyberattacks across different industries; today, this includes the telecommunications sector, which may be highly vulnerable to various risks owing to the wealth of data they possess and manage.

Recently, DDoS cyberattacks against UK-based telecom providers have left the industry reeling; The Comms Council UK has stated that these attacks against IP-based comms service providers have left several VoIP providers vulnerable to ransomware attacks in what they call the worst cyberattack since their inception in 2004.

The Council is currently working with the UK government, National Cyber Security Center, and Ofcom to resolve the matter.

The UK-based organisation went on to claim that cyberattacks were orchestrated by professional criminals looking to extort businesses through ransomware attacks.

It also elaborated that the attacks could be part of an international campaign given the attacks against telecom providers in the US and Canada in recent weeks and months.

What do we know about the attacks?

DDoS attacks occur on platforms or machines infected by malware. These malware-infected sites are known as bots, and a network of these devices is known as botnets. Botnets can send requests to a victim’s IP address, overwhelming the address with web traffic, triggering a denial of service from conventional traffic.

Based on our understanding of DDoS attacks, businesses need to monitor their infrastructure in real-time with the option to trace digital footprints to take more robust preventive action.

Continuous monitoring can highlight anomalies such as sharp spikes in web traffic, suspicious traffic from a single IP, or unexplained requests from a single page. Tracing footprints, in turn, allows system administrators to trace the actions of various vendors within their infrastructure.

Enhancing cybersecurity with real-time monitoring tools

The DDoS attacks on major telecom providers in the UK have left a trail of VoIP businesses that are now highly vulnerable to ransomware attacks.

For unaffected businesses and other industries, this event highlights the importance of investing in security tools that allow them to monitor enterprise cybersecurity infrastructure in real-time to detect anomalies.

By being proactive about security monitoring today, it’s easier to wield greater control over your data, teams, and infrastructure.