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DDoS deluge: Brit biz battered as botnet blitzes break records
Cloudflare experienced 47.1 million DDoS attacks in Q4 2025, more than double the number seen in 2024. The surge in DDoS activity is attributed to botnets built from compromised internet-connected devices and cloud-hosted virtual machines. A record-breaking DDoS attack was carried out by Aisuru-Kimwolf, a botnet made up largely of malware-infected Android TVs, pushing traffic to 31.4 Tbps. Financial services remain a favorite target for DDoS attacks, with many companies experiencing significant disruptions. The UK's dense telecoms and cloud infrastructure make it a high-impact disruption target for attackers. Cloudflare advocates for the use of autonomous systems to detect and block massive, short-lived DDoS attacks in real-time.
Cloudflare, a leading provider of cloud-based security and performance solutions, has revealed that 2025 was a record-breaking year for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. According to Cloudflare's latest Q4 report, the company experienced an unprecedented number of DDoS attacks, with a staggering 47.1 million incidents recorded in the quarter. This represents more than double the number of attacks seen in 2024 and marks a significant increase from previous years.
The surge in DDoS activity is attributed to several factors, including the rise of botnets built from compromised internet-connected devices, such as routers, cameras, and DVRs. These botnets can be easily controlled remotely by attackers, who use them to launch massive DDoS attacks against specific targets. In addition, Cloudflare reports that attackers are increasingly abusing cloud-hosted virtual machines to generate large bursts of traffic, allowing them to scale their attacks quickly.
One notable example of a record-breaking DDoS attack is the "Night Before Christmas" campaign, which was carried out by Aisuru-Kimwolf, a botnet made up largely of malware-infected Android TVs. The campaign pushed traffic to a record-breaking 31.4 Tbps and targeted Cloudflare customers as well as Cloudflare's own dashboard and infrastructure in parallel.
The geographic shifts in DDoS activity are equally noteworthy. While China, Hong Kong, Germany, Brazil, and the United States remained among the most frequently targeted regions, the United Kingdom's sudden rise to number six stands out. This is largely due to the country's dense telecoms and cloud infrastructure, which make it a high-impact disruption target for attackers.
Financial services remain a favorite target for DDoS attacks, with many companies experiencing significant disruptions as a result of these types of attacks. In addition, geopolitical tensions are adding fresh fuel to the DDoS fire, with pro-Russian hacktivists such as NoName057(16) repeatedly claiming responsibility for attacks on UK government and public sector websites.
To combat this increasing threat landscape, Cloudflare is advocating for the use of autonomous systems that can detect and block massive, short-lived DDoS attacks in real-time without human intervention. According to Cloudflare, when traffic surges to record levels and then vanishes within a couple of minutes, humans will never react quickly enough.
In conclusion, the increasing complexity of botnet-driven DDoS threats is having a significant impact on businesses and organizations worldwide. As we move forward into 2026, it is essential that companies take proactive steps to protect themselves against these types of attacks and invest in robust security solutions to mitigate this risk.
DDoS deluge: Brit biz battered as botnet blitzes break records
The UK has experienced a significant rise in DDoS attacks, with Cloudflare reporting a record-breaking 47.1 million incidents in Q4 2025. Aisuru-Kimwolf, a botnet made up largely of malware-infected Android TVs, was behind the largest blast of the quarter, pushing traffic to a record-breaking 31.4 Tbps.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/DDoS-Deluge-The-Increasingly-Complex-Landscape-of-Botnet-Driven-Cyber-Threats-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/02/06/uk_climbs_up_ddos_hit/
https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/06/uk_climbs_up_ddos_hit/
https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-aisuru-botnet-ddos-assault/
Published: Fri Feb 6 10:47:54 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
