INDUSTRY UNLOCKED
in the next two to three years , firewalls and other security appliances must be routinely upgraded just to handle the increased traffic volume . Despite this , the percentage prioritising firewalls dropped from 48 % in 2021 to 28 % in 2023 .
The growing importance of DDoS detection and monitoring
Other investments deemed nearly as important as firewalls were DDoS detection and monitoring , automation of security policies , investment in ransomware and malware protection services and threat intelligence . Respondents also indicated interest in simplifying and integrating disparate point solutions .
This all points to a higher focus on security investments overall and a greater focus on capabilities that enable a more proactive approach rather than reactive response , such as DDoS detection ( now the second highest priority ) versus reactive DDoS attack mitigation ( the least important priority ) in the 2023 survey .
Intelligent and automated DDoS protection solutions
DDoS protection is clearly a critical part of CSPs ’ infrastructure but , while they need to stop malicious traffic , they need to do this without disrupting legitimate traffic . This is where intelligent and automated DDoS protection solutions that provide scalable , economical , precise and intelligent capabilities are important in order to help CSPs ensure optimal user and subscriber experiences . CSPs should be using solutions that efficiently identify abnormal traffic , automatically and intelligently mitigate the identified inbound DDoS attack and provide a centralised point of control for seamless DDoS defence execution .
Additionally , with telecommunications considered a critical infrastructure , telecommunications organisations have a unique responsibility to protect the availability of their networks , data and services . With two-thirds of respondents planning to extend their networks to unserved and underserved communities , protection of network availability and subscriber privacy is critical to their ongoing success .
This is an increasingly complex task as traffic volumes surge and they build out to more remote and vulnerable communities . To achieve this , we recommend telecommunications providers should follow the below key steps :
1 . Prioritise security investments to protect all domains . This includes the network itself , customer databases , customer facing services such as websites and internal IT systems . Many DDoS attacks and security breaches in CSPs are targeting customer proprietary data .
2 . Replace legacy DDoS defence systems and deploy new technologies that enable more granular detection using AI , Machine Learning , threat intelligence and other capabilities that match the increasing sophistication of attacks .
3 . Leverage automation to simplify management , improve control over network resources and guarantee uptime .
38 www . intelligentcxo . com