Video game companies attract cybercriminals

Between 80% and 90% of all DDoS attacks have targeted the online gaming and gambling sectors, and according to the report, there were more than 100,000 DDoS attacks targeting video game publishers and more than 20,500 attacks against gaming-related businesses in 2023.

According to Statista, the global gaming industry was valued at over $184 billion in 2022 and will reach $200 billion in 2023. This growth has been driven by the rise in mobile gaming adoption, the expansion of the cloud gaming market, and the rise of e-sports.

“The online gaming and betting industry in Mexico and Latin America is under increasing threat from DDoS attacks. Companies in this sector must implement robust cybersecurity strategies and be prepared to respond quickly to these attacks to protect the integrity of their services and the trust of their users,” said Jorge Tsuchiya, regional director for Mexico at Netscout.

A report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, called The dark side of virtual gaming worlds for children, reveals that attacks targeting this age group increased by 57% compared to 2021.

According to Netscout’s report, extremely powerful DDoS attacks were recorded in the second half of 2023, with some reaching up to 75 million packets per second (Mpps) and others exceeding 776 Gbps in terms of bandwidth. These figures underline the seriousness of these threats, especially in regions where digital infrastructures are more vulnerable.

More complex cyber attacks

Most attacks last between five and 15 minutes, but 19 percent of them last for more than an hour. This indicates that many attacks are persistent and carefully coordinated to cause the most damage, according to Tsuchiya.

For example, during an e-sports tournament, where millions of players and spectators are connected simultaneously, a DDoS attack could not only disrupt the event, but also cause significant financial losses and damage the reputation of the organizing company. For this reason, it is crucial for online gaming platforms to strengthen their security measures against DDoS attacks.

Another recommendation made by the company is to have a detailed mapping of network activity to ensure service continuity and protect critical resources, since complete visibility of the network allows anticipating attacks before they cause significant damage, allowing not only rapid detection and response, but also traffic analysis to prevent future threats.

“These attacks not only seek to disrupt service, but also to destabilise businesses both economically and operationally. Attackers are increasingly organised and exploit specific vulnerabilities in these platforms, often during peak traffic hours, to maximise impact,” the study said.

In a competitive industry like online gaming, businesses must integrate DDoS resilience as a core element of their security strategy. This not only protects their operations, but also helps maintain player trust – a crucial factor for continued success in the industry.