Welcome to a brand-new episode of On Location with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli at Infosecurity Europe 2024 in London. Today, Sean hosts a very special guest, Richard Meeus, Director of Security Technology and Strategy, EMEA at Akamai, who will provide us with valuable insights into cybersecurity resilience and the evolving landscape of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
The High Energy at InfoSecurity Europe 2024
Sean Martin kicks off the conversation by highlighting the vibrant atmosphere at Infosecurity Europe. With a bustling crowd and high energy, it's the perfect setting to look and discuss pressing cybersecurity topics. Richard Meeus appreciates the opportunity to be part of this lively event and shares his excitement for the discussions ahead.
The Importance of Resilience
In recent months, Sean has noticed a growing emphasis on the concept of resilience in cybersecurity conversations. Notably, both Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Chief Information Officers (CIOs) are prioritizing resilience to safeguard their organizations. Richard shares his perspective, emphasizing the critical importance of resilience, especially in Europe. He points out that new legislations like NIST 2 and DORA are driving organizations to focus on maintaining the availability of their systems.
The Rise in DDoS Attacks
Transitioning to the main topic, Sean and Richard discuss the alarming increase in DDoS attacks observed in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa). Over the past few years, there has been a significant surge in such attacks, with notable activity driven by hacktivists rather than traditional criminal actors. Richard explains that hacktivists use DDoS attacks to make a statement, often targeting high-profile organizations to maximize their impact.
The Role of Akamai in Protecting Against DDoS
Richard explains Akamai's pivotal role in defending against DDoS attacks. He highlights Akamai's extensive cloud protection service, boasting a global network with 2,400 points of presence (PoPs). This vast infrastructure allows Akamai to protect some of the world's largest and most prominent brands.
Richard explains the importance of shifting the burden of DDoS defense to the cloud to handle the massive attack traffic. Akamai's scrubbing centers, strategically located worldwide, meticulously clean the incoming traffic, ensuring only legitimate requests reach the client's systems.
Evolution of DDoS Attacks
Sean invites Richard to provide an overview of how DDoS attacks have evolved over the years. While some traditional tactics like sin floods remain prevalent, there has been a resurgence of older techniques like water torture attacks targeting DNS. Richard emphasizes that organizations must protect their entire infrastructure, including APIs, which are increasingly becoming the target of such attacks.
The Financial Sector: A Prime Target
The financial sector is frequently targeted by DDoS attacks, according to Richard. He stresses that the trust customers place in financial institutions is heavily reliant on the availability of their digital services. Any disruption can erode this trust and have a significant material impact on the organization's reputation and customer confidence.
Comprehensive Protection Strategy
Richard underscores the importance of a comprehensive protection strategy for organizations facing the threat of DDoS attacks. By leveraging Akamai's global network and sophisticated scrubbing techniques, organizations can effectively mitigate the impact of these attacks. The combination of automated defenses and skilled SOC teams ensures real-time protection and rapid response to evolving threats.
In this conversation, Sean and Richard reiterate the significance of maintaining trust and resilience in the face of growing cyber threats. With the right strategies, partnerships, and technologies, organizations can safeguard their digital presence and continue to deliver reliable services to their customers.
For more in-depth insights, be sure to check out Akamai's latest report and explore their extensive back catalog of valuable cybersecurity resources.
Learn more about Akamai: https://itspm.ag/akamaievki
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Guest: Richard Meeus, Director, Security Technology and Strategy, Akamai [@Akamai]
On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-meeus/
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