Posted on 12.15.2020

DQE’s Internet Advantage: Reliable Connectivity Plus DDoS Protection

As business leaders line out how to increase revenue and productivity in 2021, examining the vulnerabilities of their IT networks should be at the top of the list. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks can compromise business operations and be paralyzing for an organization, making a DDoS mitigation service a necessary investment.

What is a DDoS Attack?

A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt a server’s normal traffic, interfere with a network or overwhelm surrounding IT infrastructure with a flood of traffic. According to Neustar, the first half of 2020 saw a 151% increase in the number of DDoS attacks compared to the same period in 2019. Overall, attacks are not only increasing in frequency, but also in volume and intensity. It’s not just big companies that are at risk either. Small to medium organizations in every industry are just as vulnerable to foul play. We’ve been talking about DDoS attacks and why your business needs protection for years. As a network solutions provider, DQE can provide you with quality connectivity and attack mitigation. Learn even more about our process in our DDoS Mitigation Service video.

Is Your Internet Slow or is it a DDoS Attack?

When it comes to DDoS attacks, the number one question many businesses have is how to spot one. The symptoms of a DDoS attack include:

• Unusually slow network performance
• Loss of internet connection
• A sudden influx of spam emails
• Problems accessing files on your company’s network

Unfortunately, many of these signs can also result from other issues such as a slow internet connection or a virus. Removing other possible explanations is an important step in identifying a DDoS attack.

As noted earlier, businesses of all sizes are targets of such breaches. DDoS attacks occur for any number of reasons, and disgruntled employees are near the top of the list According to the Information Security Forum, 54% of breaches originated from insiders. Other attacks may come from a cybercriminal who might launch an attack as a smokescreen for the theft of sensitive information. No matter the reason, DDoS attacks usually result in any of the following scenarios:

• Unplanned downtime and inability to provide services to customers
• Overload of secondary customer interaction platforms like email or phone
• Extra work and pressure trying to find an expert solutions provider to mitigate the attack and its effects
• Lost revenue as customers in need of immediate service turn to competitors
• Damaged reputation as businesses that rely on the victim’s services for their own operations struggle to keep going while the problem is solved

DDoS Attacks Cost your Business

The cost of downtime from a DDoS attack ranges anywhere from $50,000 per attack to $2 million, depending on vertical and size of the victim’s company. By contrast, these attacks are much cheaper to launch, selling for as low as $10 per hour on the dark web, according to Mission Critical Magazine. These days, some verticals seem more prone to DDoS attacks. In fact, according to Check Point Research, educational and research institutions suffered more attacks than other industries between March and August of 2020. The sudden acceleration of remote learning and work due to the COVID-19 pandemic has created new risks for today’s businesses.

In response to the growing threat, enterprise spending on cybersecurity will rise – at anywhere from 8-15% according to multiple analysts. A growing number of businesses are realizing that legacy network security solutions like firewalls are not adequate to deal with DDoS attacks. The question, however, is what type of service businesses should pick.

Internet Advantage: The DQE Answer

Now more than ever, organizations require reliable internet with dependable security. DQE’s newest product, Internet Advantage, combines DQE’s Dedicated Internet plus DDoS Mitigation into one streamlined solution. This solution is the effective answer to the problem most businesses have when trying to figure out if they could be experiencing subpar connectivity or an actual DDoS attack.

With DQE’s Dedicated Internet featuring symmetrical upload/download speeds, carrier class SLAs and scalable bandwidth, you will have all the network reliability and performance you need. Our network is founded on redundancy and security, with a custom-built, self-healing core ring architecture that maximizes reliability and minimizes downtime. Organizations that rely on strong internet access to meet business goals depend on DQE’s Dedicated Internet solution. The icing on the cake? Our Internet Advantage service includes built in DDoS Mitigation Services so businesses can rely on our advanced detection and immediate response team of industry experts, dedicated to you.

How DQE’s DDoS Mitigation Service Works

Our DDoS protection service is a clean pipe solution that leverages our visibility into traffic flows to block and remove attack traffic before it hits your network’s narrow pipe. It’s much simpler than other cloud-based scrubbing services available on the market today. Our offering provides real-time protection to businesses of all sizes backed up by 24x7x365 network monitoring from our local, in-house Network Operations Center (NOC).

Contact DQE to discuss how Internet Advantage can benefit your business

With 2020 drawing to a close, now is the time to get ready for a successful 2021. Get the dedicated internet connection you want with the powerful DDoS detection and protection you need with DQE’s Internet Advantage. Contact us with your questions or for more information on how this solution can benefit you!

Tags: business internet, cybersecurity, DDoS Mitigation, DDoS Protection, dqe, Internet Advantage