A team from Continent 8 attended the ServiceNow Knowledge Conference that took place in Las Vegas in May.
For the first time since 2019, ServiceNow was able to launch their flagship user conference as one single global event. Bringing together ServiceNow experts, customers and partners from all over the world, this event featured an amazing lineup of presentations, breakout sessions, immersive experiences and networking opportunities.
We know that our Continent 8 team had a great time learning, forging connections and discussing innovative ideas for the future, so we asked Anthony Abou-Jaoude – Chief Information Officer, Monika Curran – Head of Applications Delivery, Damian Martinez – Enterprise Application Administrator and Lalith Kumar – ServiceNow Enterprise Application Administrator, to collectively highlight their main takeaways from the event.
This event was one of the most fulfilling events at a professional/technical level.
Knowledge 2023 brought together professionals from various industries, providing a chance to meet and connect with like-minded individuals, potential collaborators, and experts.
The sessions and workshops provided a great overview of ServiceNow, including the latest solutions, product roadmap and customer use cases.
Attending the conference was an opportunity for our Continent 8 ServiceNow Admin team to meet each other for the first time in person. As the team work remotely from different locations, it was a great way for us to bond, share ideas and spend time together.
To get the most out of the conference, the team split and attended different sessions. Here are the ones we felt were the most interesting:
A great example was the one shown by Siemens, a company with over 40,000 employees worldwide and similar to Continent 8, serving in different locations and different languages. Siemens explained the issues they had prior to using ServiceNow and how they overcame them.
The key takeaway from the conference is the knowledge that the difficulties we have experienced with the system are not unique to us. We were also able to affirm that we are on the right track in how we are using of the system, the changes we can make and that we are really just scratching the surface of what is actually achievable.
ServiceNow’s process automation capabilities can help Continent 8 streamline and optimize routine tasks and workflows.
Our journey in digital transformation is picking up momentum fast across all our applications, so we just have ensure all of our systems – both internal and external – are all integrated and working together in unison.
We continue our focus on process automation opportunities as well as the improvement of user/customer experience with self-service portals. AI-powered automation continues to be a hot topic in the industry and that’s what we in Continent 8 should direct our focus towards, to become more efficient operationally and driving growth.
When it comes to DDoS attacks, Continent 8 (C8) had a relatively peaceful first quarter of the year following the tumultuous events of December 2022. Nevertheless, our global network had to fend off 184 attacks during the time frame. DDoS attacks remain a huge threat to businesses of all sizes in iGaming and beyond. Craig Lusher from our Secure team reviews the latest company attack data.
There was a significant drop in the number of DDoS attacks hitting Continent 8’s customers in Q1 2023 compared to the previous period where a record-breaking 3,367 attacks were recorded.
The intensity of attacks was the highest in January, presumably a lingering effect from the December attacks. The 184 attacks in this quarter affected 83 different customers, a relatively high figure given the decreased frequency of attacks.
In a positive development for the company, the quarter did not witness any attacks exceeding 100Gbps and we encountered only six attacks ranging between 10-100Gbps, with the remaining 176 attacks registering below 10Gbps this quarter.
The stats for the period from 1 January to 31 March 2023 relate to our customers based in different locations around the world. Key points include:
The average customer experienced attacks only twice this quarter, marking the lowest frequency recorded so far. Overall, customers were subjected to attacks for a cumulative total of 464.4 hours during this period.
Craig Lusher, Senior Product Specialist – Secure, at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Thankfully, this was a much quieter quarter compared to the previous. The quarter adhered to a common trend with most attacks measuring under 10Gbps, with the overall average attack size decreasing too.
“However, it is important to note that even low throughput attacks can include millions of packets per second, posing a threat to networking equipment rather than internet bandwidth alone.
“While we continue to see significant changes in attacks from quarter to quarter, DDoS attacks are a constant threat to any business.”
Named a key player in the DDoS attack solution market (source: Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack Solution Market Industry Development 2022 – 2028), we have been protecting the world’s most valuable information for 25 years. Our comprehensive cyber security solutions include effective and scalable protection against L3-7 DDoS attacks.
Our mitigation service provides an effective defence against multi-vector volumetric attacks. Key features include:
Our solution continues to evolve and in recent months we have amplified our scrubbing capacity to 2.5+Tbps, as well as increased our scrubbing centres geographically deployed across multiple continents. Locations include Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo.
Our proven platform is one you can rely on with a capacity only matched by the largest DDoS providers on the planet. Learn more about our DDoS solutions here or contact Craig via craig.lusher@continent8.com
Craig Lusher, Senior Product Specialist – Secure at Continent 8 Technologies, discusses how AI is changing cybersecurity.
Cybercrime is a constantly evolving threat that affects people and organisations of all sizes. In 2022, cyberattacks increased by 38% according to Check Point research, further compounding the growth of 300% seen in 2020, with iGaming and e-commerce businesses being the primary targets. Cybercriminals use a variety of techniques to gain unauthorised access to sensitive information, such as phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks. The consequences of these attacks can be devastating, including loss of data, financial damage, and reputational harm.
With the growing complexity of cybercrime, traditional cybersecurity measures like firewalls and antivirus software are no longer enough. Cybersecurity experts are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and advance cybersecurity defences such as XDR and managed SOC/SIEM to help detect and prevent cyber threats. But, AI technology is a double-edged sword that can both aid cybercriminals and help prevent cyber attacks.
AI technology is making it easier for cybercriminals to launch sophisticated attacks. For example, AI-powered bots can be used to automate phishing attacks, making it easier to target a large number of people at once with very personalised approaches. These bots can analyse social media profiles and other online data to create targeted and personalised messages that appears legitimate and are more likely to be opened and clicked on.
In addition, AI can be used to create deepfakes, which are fake images, videos or audio recordings that are indistinguishable from real ones. Famously, deepfakes have been used to simulate voices of singers such as The Weekend and Drake and also the actor Bruce Willis in a Russian mobile phone commercial, but it can be used to impersonate people in authority within a company, such as a CEO or network administrators or even used to spread false information, which can be used for malicious purposes.
Another way AI is aiding cybercriminals is through the use of machine learning algorithms. These algorithms can be used to analyse large datasets and identify vulnerabilities in software systems, which can then be exploited by cybercriminals.
AI-powered cyber attacks are becoming more common, and their impact can be devastating. One example is the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack, which affected over 200,000 computers in 150 countries. The attack was carried out using an AI-powered worm that was able to spread rapidly and infect vulnerable systems.
Another example is the use of AI-powered bots to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. DDoS attacks involve overwhelming a website or server with traffic, making it inaccessible. AI-powered bots can generate massive amounts of traffic, which can be used to take down even the most secure websites. Read about Continent 8’s experience over Christmas and World Cup 2022.
While AI technology is making it easier for cybercriminals to launch attacks, it’s also being used to prevent them. Continent 8’s AI-powered cybersecurity solutions, including our Cloud WAAP (Web Application and API Protection), Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and XDR (Extended Detection and Response) solutions, can analyse vast amounts of data in real-time and identify anomalous behaviour and potential threats before they occur.
Continent 8 use AI-powered anomaly detection and security analytics in Continent 8’s SIEM and Cloud WAAP, which can identify unusual behaviour on a network or website that could indicate a cyber attack and alert our cybersecurity experts in real-time. This technology can learn from past attacks and adapt to new threats, making it a powerful tool for cybersecurity experts. Continent 8’s WAAP can also run vulnerability scans against the website it protects, and suggests additional rules and configuration to harden the existing protection – essentially configuring itself! This is an important feature in the world of DevOps with CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery). This concept helps businesses deliver new, working features earlier and more frequently. They can do this safe in the knowledge that Continent 8’s WAAP offers blanket protection of their website.
Continent 8’s AI-powered XDR (Extended Endpoint Protection and Response (anti-virus on steroids)), can detect and prevent malware attacks on individual devices. Our solution can analyse patterns of behaviour on a device and identify potential threats in real-time.
While AI technology has the potential to revolutionise cybersecurity, it also raises ethical concerns. For example, AI-powered cybersecurity solutions can be used to monitor employees and collect sensitive information about them. This raises questions about privacy and the use of personal data.
Another concern is the potential for AI-powered cyber attacks to cause widespread damage. As AI technology becomes more advanced, cybercriminals may be able to launch attacks that are more sophisticated and harder to detect. This could lead to widespread disruption and chaos. This will require cybersecurity experts to constantly adapt and develop new technologies to stay ahead of cybercriminals.
To prepare for the future of cybercrime with AI, organisations need to take a proactive approach to cybersecurity. This means investing in AI-powered cybersecurity solutions that can detect and prevent cyber threats in real-time – like Continent 8’s WAAP, SIEM and XDR solutions.
Organisations also need to prioritise cybersecurity training for employees, as human error and compromised credentials are a common cause of cyber attacks. In fact, according to Verizon’s 2022 Data Breaches Investigations Report, human error is responsible for a massive 82% of data breaches. Therefore, companies need to include training on how to identify phishing emails, create strong passwords, and use security software effectively.
Finally, organisations need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. This means having a plan in place for how to respond to a cyber attack, including how to recover lost data and how to communicate with stakeholders. Continent 8’s Cloud backup service combined with the managed XDR and SIEM solution can help detect, prevent and recover from cyber attacks, including ransomware.
AI technology is changing the game when it comes to cybercrime. While it’s making it easier for cybercriminals to launch attacks, it’s also being used to prevent them. As AI technology becomes more advanced, we can expect to see both more sophisticated cyber attacks and more powerful cybersecurity solutions.
To stay ahead of the curve, organisations need to take cybersecurity seriously and invest in the latest AI-powered technologies. By doing so, they can protect themselves from the ever-evolving threat of cybercrime and stay ahead of cybercriminals.
Are you protected? Continent 8 has full spectrum cyber security solutions to defend your infrastructure against a growing number of threats. Contact sales@continent8.com to learn more and speak to one of our experts.
Leon Allen, Cybersecurity Director at Continent 8 Technologies
As the online gambling market grows and new regulated markets open to bettors, the industry faces a new risk with cyber criminals launching sophisticated attacks.
The iGaming industry has long faced various challenges, such as regulatory pressures, market changes and increased competition, but a new threat is emerging – cyberattacks.
In recent years, there have been numerous high-profile, sophisticated cyberattacks on iGaming companies, ranging from ransomware attacks to data breaches. These attacks can have devastating consequences, not only in terms of financial losses but also in terms of damage to a company’s reputation and customer trust.
A new attack campaign has targeted the online gaming industry since at least September 2022. The attacks intensified as the ICE London 2023 gaming industry event kicked off in February, providing a glimpse of the industry’s growth post-pandemic.
The attack named Ice Breaker, has seen social engineering tactics to deploy a JavaScript backdoor.
Continent 8 has seen a significant rise in attacks in recent months, particularly throughout the World Cup and Christmas holidays. In the biggest DDoS attack Continent 8 has ever seen, was a ‘carpet bomb’ attack where attacks saturate the entire IP target range with traffic in a manner that is akin to the way a bomber would saturate an entire area with bombs. The attack lasted for an incredible nine days against 145 customers.
It’s not just DDoS attacks impacting the industry. Last November, US gaming giant DraftKings became the victim of a credential stuffing attack, which resulted in customers’ losses of up to $300,000. The first $5 deposit appears to be the common denominator for all accounts that were hacked — followed by the attackers changing the password, establishing two-factor authentication (2FA) on a different phone number, and then taking as much as possible from the victims’ connected bank accounts. DraftKings has since refunded the losses.
It’s important to explain that DraftKings own systems weren’t breached. The attacker acquired the login credentials elsewhere and attempted to utilize them against the accounts on its system. They were able to proceed because of the consumers’ weak security practices, worsened by the use of the same password across several platforms.
DraftKings is not the only sports betting site that has been hijacked. In December, another high profile brand in the US disclosed a data breach occurred in May that affected some users’ personal information, including Social Security numbers and information associated with transactions with the operator. It has been reported that Plaintiff Anthony Grippa brought a class action case against the operator in federal court in New Jersey on January 26. However, just a few weeks later the class action lawsuit was dropped.
Some are questioning whether as we move to a more digital era, could the increase in data breaches lead to more class action lawsuits?
Looking at the above cases, there is a pattern emerging: attackers believe the iGaming industry is one ripe to exploit.
The stakes are high for the gambling sector, with cyberattacks increasing by 1,000 percent annually and the average data breach costing more than $4 million.
In addition, the gambling industry as a whole has been steadily growing, and 2023 is poised to see even more developments. The rise in online gambling has been a major contributor to this growth, with analysts predicting that online casinos will dominate the sector in the coming year.
As land-based casinos faced a drop in customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic instability, online casinos have been gaining popularity. In fact, there has been a 15 percent increase in interest in opening virtual casinos over the last year.
As society is heading towards a more digitalized lifestyle, stream betting and live dealer games are set to take root. While platforms such as Twitch have banned the streaming of gambling zones without official licensing, other platforms like DLive, Trovo and Mixer are expected to fill the gap.
The iGaming industry, and Continent 8 as a supplier of security services, is constantly evolving and innovating to stay ahead of cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in online platforms. With the stakes so high, online gambling and sports betting site operators must maintain high levels of resilience against cyberattacks.
One of the key ways that iGaming businesses are improving their resilience is by using real-time payment monitoring tools that employ behavioural analytics to detect and block suspicious activity. These tools leverage data from the network, applications, and application payload to stay ahead of emerging threats.
Traditional cybersecurity solutions can be slow to detect new threats and are often too blunt to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate traffic. Specialised providers embracing newer cybersecurity solutions and that understand the iGaming industry, like Continent 8, use unsupervised and supervised machine learning to identify emerging threats and build individual customer profiles. This is a core component of Continent 8’s SIEM/SOC platform, for example.
By assigning a real-time risk score for each transaction, these solutions can block only criminal activity while allowing legitimate transactions to proceed.
In addition to protecting revenue, iGaming operators must safeguard their players’ personal and payment data. Continuous real-time screening and transaction monitoring with automatic risk-scoring can help iGaming companies identify suspicious behavioural patterns and anomalies and automatically block them before they damage the brand.
What is fundamental to any online business is the need to ensure they have an infrastructure and security partner that can protect their business’ data. With 25 years of experience in the industry, Continent 8 is the trusted infrastructure provider to the industry, powering the biggest iGaming brands, globally.
Continent 8 provides a multi-layered approach to security that includes DDoS and WAAP protection, as well as EDR/MDR and SIEM/SOC solutions, tailored to defend critical infrastructure against a growing number of threats.
Learn more about Continent 8’s Secure solutions, here
Craig Lusher, Senior Product Specialist – Secure at Continent 8 Technologies discusses the longest sustained attack that Continent 8 has ever seen.
Here at Continent 8, all we want for Christmas is… a peaceful night’s sleep!
Major sporting events and holidays such as the festive season, mean only one thing for us, DDoS attacks, and lots of them! Attacks of all shapes and sizes are on the rise and Christmas 2022 was no different. With the 2022 World Cup final and Christmas period coinciding, we were in for the perfect storm.
The few days preceding the World Cup Final held on December 18th, Continent 8 was alerted to the fact that several of our customers received DDoS ransom notes. At this point we knew we were going to be in for a difficult period, but little did we know what an historic, record-breaking event this would be.
We geared up our systems and engineers and prepared for the inevitable attacks. Sure enough, we saw a wave of attacks hit on the day of the Final, including attacks against our own network monitoring system. The team quickly realised that this wave of attacks was not just against targeted customers, but a ‘carpet bomb’ attack. The term ‘carpet bomb’ refers to the idea of saturating the entire target IP range with traffic in a manner that is akin to the way a carpet bomber would saturate an entire area with bombs. Rather than targeting single IP address, this type of attack targets a whole network or IP range.
Needing to take decisive action, we put an entire /19 and 3x /21 networks into DDoS mitigation as the breadth of the attack was so vast. The historic carpet bomb campaign of attacks, one of the largest EVER on the Internet, lasted for an incredible nine days against 145 different customers. There was a total of over 5,500 individual attacks and 300 services targeted.
With a cumulated total of over 7,000 hours of mitigation in just nine days (which equates to a consistent average of 33 simultaneous attacks mitigations), the attack hit 38 global Continent 8 data centre locations out of the 90+ locations we have. The breadth and duration of this sustained attack has never been witnessed at Continent 8, or even on the Internet ever before!
To put this into perspective, during a normal month at Continent 8 we ingest about 2PB (Petabytes) of data globally into our network. During this DDoS attack, we ingested 10PB – so 5x the normal amount. So assuming we ingested 2PB of legitimate traffic, 8PB was DDoS traffic.
To provide an idea of scale, global tier 1 DDoS mitigation provider Radware recently released their ‘2022-202 Global Threat Analysis Report’. In that report they state that the total mitigated DDoS attack volume over the entirety of 2022 was “4.44PB, up 32% over 2021”. This yearly figure is only half of what we mitigated in just 9 days!
Fig. 1: December DDoS Attacks – Number of Attacks
The gaming industry is becoming an increased target: During a DDoS attack, attackers use a botnet to flood the target sites with a massive volume of traffic, making it impossible for users to access the sites and place bets. In addition to targeting the sportsbooks and betting sites directly, attackers also target related services, such as payment processing systems or data providers, which are critical to the functioning of the sites. By targeting multiple targets simultaneously, the attacker can create widespread disruption and cause significant financial losses for the affected organisations.
Seasonal spikes in traffic: Online sports betting businesses may experience seasonal spikes in traffic around major sporting events, as people place more bets and attackers can cause most destruction. Attackers target at this time to take advantage of the increased legitimate traffic and an IT teams’ distraction to disrupt the website or application.
Rival sports betting businesses: It’s possible that rival online book makers may launch DDoS attacks against their competitors during a major sporting event in an attempt to disrupt their operations, gain an advantage and win a rival’s customer.
DDoS attacks can have serious consequences for iGaming and sports betting businesses and their customers. For the businesses, DDoS attacks can result in significant financial losses, damage to reputation, and loss of customers. For customers or players, DDoS attacks can prevent them from placing bets, accessing their accounts, and receiving pay-outs. DDoS attacks have also been used in Credential Stuffing exercises to gain access to a customer’s account and syphon funds or personal data.
An important point to make is that major DDoS attacks against sportsbook sites can be used to manipulate the odds or outcome of a sporting event by denying users access to a particular site or by flooding a site with fake bets or data, causing the site to adjust its odds or outcome accordingly. This can create an unfair advantage for the attacker or their associates and can result in significant financial gains at the expense of the affected sportsbooks and betting sites.
To mitigate the risks associated with DDoS attacks, sports betting companies should invest in robust cybersecurity measures, including DDoS protection services, to help detect and mitigate attacks. They should also establish incident response plans to quickly respond to attacks and minimise the impact on operations and customers.
In conclusion, cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated in their attacks, using advanced techniques and tools to carry out DDoS attacks. This trend is expected to continue, with attackers constantly evolving their tactics to stay ahead of security measures. Cybercriminals will continue to continue target major sporting events, such as the Super Bowl or World Cup, as they provide a high-profile target with the potential for significant financial gain.
As more sports betting companies move their operations to the Cloud, which can provide benefits in terms of scalability and flexibility, this also increases the risk of DDoS attacks, as attackers can target Cloud service providers and disrupt operations for multiple businesses at once.
Sports betting companies face a significant threat from DDoS attacks, particularly during peak times. By implementing a comprehensive DDoS mitigation plan, including the use of a DDoS mitigation solution, monitoring traffic closely, implementing traffic filtering, using a CDN, having a disaster recovery plan, sports betting companies can defend themselves against DDoS attacks and ensure business continuity.
Having launched a DDoS solution back in 2014 tailored to the iGaming industry, Continent 8 is on hand to support your business. Reach out via sales@continent8.com to learn more.
In our latest Cultiv8 blog, our HR Manager Jordan Holmes chats to our Montreal-based IT Director Sose Canadian. He shares his journey to date with Continent 8 and what makes the company a very special place to work.
Sose – thanks for sitting down to chat. First up, can you tell us a little more about your role as IT Director at Continent 8 Technologies?
My role is figuratively about keeping the lights on. It’s down to me to make sure that Continent 8 is using its technologies to their full potential so that our teams can meet and exceed their goals. In short, it’s my responsibility for internal systems to be running as they should be. Of course, it’s mission-critical that we do this securely, so I work closely with the security team so that our goals are always aligned.
This means we are constantly auditing, automating and facilitating so that the company, which now employs more than 200 people across the globe, is firing on all cylinders at all times while ensuring we remain resilient to the high volume of cyber-attacks those in this industry face. This also means reacting to trends and environmental factors which often have a significant impact on the direction we take.
Take Covid, for example. It forced everyone to re-think staff working from an office and opened the door to remote and hybrid working. This meant that organisations, including Continent 8, had to quickly adapt. But this has always been our superpower. In this instance, we changed how we deployed systems, the meeting solutions we used, and the ways in which different departments and teams collaborated. With this came improving our sharing capabilities and making remote access easier, faster and smarter.
What attracted you to Continent 8 as a company?
I am a Mohawk First Nations and the idea of something as exciting as a technology infrastructure company setting up shop on my reservation was incredibly exciting to me and drew me in straight away.
My journey started at Mohawk Internet Technologies, and I was one of the first people to join the organisation. I think that is what makes me care so much about the company and my role within it.
While Continent 8 has grown significantly over the years across the globe, it always felt like a family business to me, and it still does. Over the years, I have worked hard and feel very much a part of discovering how we can continue to best serve our customers. We have always wanted to make our customers happy and that often means doing little things that have a big impact on their overall experience, making it so much better. Even though the company has scaled at pace, particularly in recent years, this ethos remains and that’s what makes it such a great place to work.
Can you tell us a little more about your career to date?
Over the years, I have actually held several roles within the company. I started out as a DC Tech but because we were such a small organisation back then, I became a jack of all trades. I installed the customer servers, set up interfaces, and built web servers and DNS – I did everything and enjoyed doing it all.
I then left Continent 8 for a little while and worked for the Economic Development Commission of Kahnawake where I managed the IT team there. But I always wanted to come back and eventually made my return. It felt like a homecoming. I returned as Systems Admin and was then promoted to North American DC Tech Manager before ultimately being given my current role of IT Director. It’s been a great journey so far and I look forward to many more years with Continent 8.
What have been some of the biggest highlights along the way?
I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the roles I have held at Continent 8. I loved getting my hands dirty and being technical, but I’ve had just as much fun fostering a supportive environment in management so that my team can grow. I love the variety that comes with my role, and the need to always pivot and change direction according to the needs of the business and the environments in which we operate. The strong, loyal relationships we have with our customers is also a highlight – many of whom have been with us for decades. The closeness of these relationships is crucial to us being able to support their needs and not only meet but exceed their expectations. Many have become our friends, and you never want to let a friend down.
For me, the biggest highlight is the belief that I have in Continent 8. I believe deeply in my team, the company and the direction in which we are heading – which is very much onwards and upwards.
What is the most exciting aspect of your job?
No day is ever the same and the constant change makes my role incredibly exciting. I love the thrill of working in an agile environment where we are always looking at ways to improve. This often means coming up with new approaches and processes and pushing boundaries. Innovation is in our DNA, and we use this to drive forward with improvements that ultimately ensure that we deliver a superior product and service to our customers. There is never a dull day at Continent 8, that’s for sure.
Do you have any particular career goals/aspirations for the year?
I am always growing, learning and moving forwards. One of the main areas I am concentrating on over the coming 12 months is facilitating secure, remote working across the organisation – which is easier said than done for a global business located across multiple continents – and making sure that our systems and processes are as efficient as possible. This means even more auditing, automating and improving.
The pace and scale at which Continent 8 continues to expand is frankly staggering and ensuring that I keep up with this rapid growth means that I am making tremendous personal and career progress at the same time.
Learn more about careers at Continent 8 here
Due to a co-ordinated, large-scale campaign of attacks against the iGaming industry, Continent 8 blocked a staggering 350 days’ worth of DDoS attacks across 3,367 separate DDoS events in Q4 2022 alone – a new record for the iGaming’s most trusted infrastructure partner.
Craig Lusher from our Secure team reviews the latest company attack data.
A major DDoS attack wave hit the iGaming industry in October and December 2022. This campaign was well orchestrated and coincided with the World Cup and Christmas holidays. Unlike specific targeted attacks which attempt to saturate Internet capacity with a high traffic volume, Continent 8 witnessed a large number of simultaneous attacks across a breadth of businesses in the industry. This is certainly one of the biggest and most complicated campaigns against the industry Continent 8 has ever had to defend against.
Cybercrime is very much on the rise with attackers finding new ways in which to exploit applications and infrastructure to their advantage – no business is immune to an attack. But have you ever considered the cost of a DDoS attack that takes your business completely offline?
In the most recent quarter, we mitigated an attack that lasted an astounding 87 hours. Assuming this company has a yearly revenue of $100m, it would have lost $993k if the attack was successful at taking the business offline.
Our latest statistics show that Continent 8 saw off a total of 3,367 attacks. Of these, 51 customers had repeat attacks which means multiple attacks occurred against the same customer within a 24-hour period.
North America was the most attacked location throughout the period, and the month of December was the busiest. This is not surprising considering hackers are more active around the holiday season. Why? Reasons include an increase in traffic expected on websites as customers purchase Christmas gifts, and at the same time IT professionals in businesses are taking annual leave.
The stats for the period from 1 October to 31 December 2022 relate to our customers based in different locations around the world. Key highlights include:
Craig Lusher, Senior Product Specialist – Secure, at Continent 8 Technologies, said: “Our latest quarter statistics show a huge increase in attacks, particularly in December, a seasonal trend we have seen for many years now. However, attack tactics have changed; When comparing Q4 2021 with Q4 2022, attack peak volume is down from 1.9Tbps to 305Gbps, however the number of simultaneous attacks is up in an attempt to overwhelm the DDoS scrubbers. Due to simultaneous attacks, we saw our scrubbers mitigating attacks for a total duration of 8,396 hours (350 days) in Q4 alone. This total mitigation duration is up a massive 16,625% on Q4 stats in 2021.
“We often talk about the increase in the number of attacks globally across sectors, as well as their complexity and scale, but do people really understand how much an attack could cost their business?
“During this quarter we saw a sustained attack of 87 hours which would have been highly damaging for the company had they not had mitigation in place.”
Named a key player in the DDoS attack solution market (source: Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack Solution Market Industry Development 2022 – 2028), we have been protecting the world’s most valuable information for 25 years. Our comprehensive cyber security solutions include effective and scalable protection against L3-7 DDoS attacks.
Our mitigation service provides an effective defence against multi-vector volumetric attacks. Key features include:
Our solution continues to evolve and in recent months we have amplified our scrubbing capacity to 2.5+Tbps, as well as increased our scrubbing centres geographically deployed across multiple continents. Locations include Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo.
Our proven platform is one you can rely on with a capacity only matched by the largest DDoS providers on the planet. Learn more about our DDoS solutions here or contact Craig via craig.lusher@continent8.com
Continent 8 Technologies is the go-to provider of infrastructure solutions and services to the global gambling industry. This is why…
This year, Continent 8 Technologies celebrates 25 years of protecting the global gambling industry’s most valuable information, providing market-leading iGaming hosting, connectivity, cloud and security solutions.
This is a major milestone, and it’s only been achieved by combining cutting-edge technologies with the best people and putting our customers at the core of all decision-making.
We are the absolute market leader – no other infrastructure provider supports +80% of operators on the EGR US Power Rankings, after all.
But if that’s not enough to convince you to join the sector’s biggest businesses and use Continent 8 as your infrastructure partner, below are eight more reasons why you should.
Our services and solutions have been the foundation for business in the industry since its inception. As the sector has grown, we have grown with it.
This includes markets opening and closing, the rise of regulation and compliance, advances in technology, mergers and acquisitions and everything in between.
This unrivalled experience has allowed us to enhance and fine-tune our iGaming products, solutions and services so that they meet the exact needs of the industry and the unique requirements of each customer.
Our global network is unmatched, with no other like it in the industry.
We have a unique, private, global connected network of more than 90 locations spanning four continents with more locations being added on a monthly basis.
We’ve made strides in the US market, where we are offering our solutions in 25 regulated states and counting. Our first-to-market approach lets us capitalise on the rapid roll-out of regulation, allowing our customers to be ready for launch from the day the market opens.
We are very committed to the US market and plan to be live in every regulated state.
In other markets, we continue to grow our footprint across Latin America and Europe, with Croatia set to go online in the coming months. We’re also assessing opportunities in Africa and Australia.
While our connected network gives us global reach, our local focus allows us to establish centres of excellence with members of the team on the ground in key iGaming jurisdictions from the Isle of Man to Malta and Gibraltar.
Operators and suppliers have had to contend with regulations for many years now, and we’ve always worked with them to ensure our products, services and solutions are fully compliant with vendor licences in the markets where they are required.
Take our data centre in New Jersey. Launched in 2019, it is housed within the Atlantic City Convention Centre and is the only data site in the state that has been purpose-built for the online gambling industry. It is fully compliant with DGE regulations and is the only independent, licensed facility that can house gaming infrastructure outside of a licensed casino.
The gambling industry is one of the most attacked. With a global average data breach total cost of $4.35m (as of 2022) it’s vital for all organisations in the sector to ensure they are protected – at Continent 8, we’ve been doing this for more than two decades.
We take a multi-layered approach to security including DDoS, WAAP, SIEM/SOC and EDR/MDR solutions and our solutions are continually evolving to suit the ever-changing cyber threat landscape.
Over the past 25 years, we’ve earned a reputation for delivering the highest levels of customer support, our attention to detail and delivering service excellence across everything we do. This is something we are incredibly proud of.
As well as local, on-site expertise across our data centres, we have a comprehensive customer portal that provides access to key metrics on the services we provide. We ensure 24x7x365 response, support ticketing and incident management as standard, alongside some of the best SLAs in the industry.
It really is second to none. It enables customers to see all aspects of their business, including co-location information covering an audit of all equipment, rack space and power used. It also shows network stats such as latency and internet health, and highlights any unusual activity. Customers can also access real-time DDoS stats so they can see attack data and mitigation techniques.
This is a powerful private internet and exchange that can only be used by Continent 8 customers, allowing them to connect directly with one another. It offers a VPN across our backbone network in conjunction with third-party circuits to let customers exchange traffic at the lowest latency and highest performance, while being secure and private.
Customers connected to the Gaming Exchange can also access our Premium Portal – this is an analytical dashboard where they can view and monitor traffic within and outside of Continent 8 to other gaming partners.
Here’s a video of our Chief Product Officer Justin Cosnett discussing the Exchange:
These are just some of the reasons why Continent 8 is the infrastructure provider of choice for iGaming organisations across the world. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with the team at sales@continent8.com to talk about how we can help power your business to the next level.
Continent 8 (C8) has been securing iGaming businesses and data for almost 25 years, initially against DDoS attacks but now through a host of MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider) solutions, providing a multi-layered offering to customers.
Based upon this experience, and recent documented attacks against major operators like DraftKings, Justin Cosnett (Chief Product Officer) has provided a quick reference guide to the recent attack types, and what can be done by iGaming and online sportsbook operators to prevent or protect against them.
As widely reported (example from the Register) in November 2022 DraftKings (the American daily fantasy sports contest and sports betting company) customers’ were the victims of an attack which reportedly siphoned off as much as $300,000 from accounts.
Whilst Draftkings own systems weren’t breached, the attack against customer accounts caused significant impact for end users, and wide coverage. Such events occurring can result in reputation damage and potential loss of unhappy customers, to other operators.
The attack form reported was ‘credential stuffing’ – effectively usernames (often email addresses) and passwords which had been exploited or compromised from elsewhere – were being used to gain access to the same customers of DraftKings. Human nature drives people to use the path of least resistance, and when it comes to login credentials, many people use the same details for many different websites, making an exploit easier for attackers.
Login details, bought and sold on the dark web, can be combined with automated software to launch thousands or millions of brute-force logon attempts.
Sites like iGaming and sportsbook operators are attractive targets, as customers will often have a balance of funds available to easily transfer out, and the growth of the industry will lead to a perceived growth in the expected value which can be extracted
This type of attack has several potential ways to limit or reduce its potential for damage:
User Education and Action
Operator Action
Our WAAP (previously known as WAF – Web Application Firewall) protects against Account Takeover including specifically Credential Stuffing.
The Account Takeover feature allows you to detect and protect against account takeover threats. Our Cloud WAAP tracks the authentication URL to an operator’s website and identifies all user access. Attack logs reference the username and additional protection capabilities such as Credential Stuffing Protection and Session Fixation Protection.
Continent 8’s Cloud WAAP uses a user tracking rule to track users. When Continent 8 Cloud WAAP detects users that match the criteria you specify in the user tracking rule, it stores the session ID and username.
The solution tracks only users who have logged in successfully. It uses one of the following methods to determine whether a log in is successful:
NOTE: Our Cloud WAAP stops tracking users when either of the following two events occur:
Enabling Credential Stuffing Protection will utilise a defence database to prevent against Credential Stuffing attacks. When this setting is enabled, our Cloud WAAP will evaluate the username (Username Field) and password (Password Field) of the matched login requests against the Credential Stuffing Defence database to identify whether the paired username/password has been spilled.
We have uniquely combined the benefits of Fortinet’s Fortiweb capabilities, with the Continent 8 DDoS protected global private network and edge cloud – to provide a WAAP tailored for iGaming. We protect via an in-line cloud between users and the operators’ systems, to reduce latency and expand reach, to best suit iGaming locations.
Justin Cosnett, Chief Product Officer at Continent 8 Technologies
Is your information protected? Do you have the safeguards in place to protect your web applications and APIs?
To learn more about how our WAAP can help protect your customers and you, contact sales@continent8.com, or browse our website www.continent8.com.
Continent 8 (C8) has been enabling AWS Outposts for iGaming (or Real Money Gaming as termed by AWS) to such an extent that we proudly host and connect the largest deployment of AWS Outposts in the sector.
Based upon this experience, we have previously provided advice on considerations for co-location and power, connectivity, and security.
In this latest guidance overview, David Brace, Anthony Engel, and Justin Cosnett have produced a guide on best connecting the AWS Outpost for iGaming and the steps to deployment and ownership.
An AWS Outpost Rack is effectively a Private Cloud for native AWS services, similar to C8’s own agnostic Private Cloud; it is fully managed, monitored and supported, and customers utilise the services and resources they need to deliver their product. Unlike C8’s Private Cloud it is a self-contained dedicated rack with specific power and connectivity considerations.
AWS Outpost Server is a 1U or 2U device from AWS which can be implemented into a customer environment to provide native AWS Services. The devices are replaced if there is any issue within a specific break-time response, and customers manage the installation and configuration of them. C8 has provided a further overview of AWS Outpost Server here.
Licensed operators, especially in the US, need to ensure they deploy an AWS Outpost meeting stringent regulatory requirements in-state and consider wider federal perception. Requirements for iGaming operators and suppliers to consider technically for resilience, scale, and performance are:
In this guide, C8 simplifies and tabulates the options for connecting an AWS Outpost from our recommended and default implementation, to other specific deployment architectures which have been requested.
Advantages and considerations are provided, as well as simple diagrams showing a logical connectivity solution to all connectivity services, an example below:
Further, the guide provides a roles and responsibilities overview for each deployment type – acting as a step-by-step guide to how and who undertakes the various activities to ensure a smooth and fast deployment.
We have supported significant growth in AWS Outpost deployment for iGaming operators, working with some of the biggest brands in the industry. To best serve our partners in the US and worldwide, our team works closely with AWS to understand and meet customers’ requirements. As a result, we can deliver template playbook solutions, enabling the fastest resilient deployment.
Justin Cosnett, Chief Product Officer at Continent 8 Technologies
C8 has ensured that all co-location sites are not just ready for connectivity but meet the stringent requirements of the AWS Outpost for power, logistics, environment suitability and security.
Additionally, C8 also has specifically accredited its European and US data centres for AWS Outposts, which enables an even swifter purchasing and deployment process through the AWS ordering process.
Continent 8 Technologies (C8)
Founded over 20 years ago, C8 is an award-winning, multi-jurisdictional, global network solutions provider that connects, manages, and secures the world’s most valuable information.
The company has data centres and strategic points of presence in over 90 connected locations spanning Europe, the Americas and Asia, and is expanding rapidly. Its carrier-grade network powers some of the biggest brands in iGaming.
With a first-to-market strategy, C8 is currently live in 25 states with future sites planned in the near future, enabling customers to capitalise on the fast-growing market.
C8 is an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner and as a member of the AWS Partner Network (APN), the company can assist iGaming operators and suppliers with AWS RMG (Real Money Gaming) services and solutions. This includes the deployment and hosting of AWS Outposts throughout the US, via an AWS Outposts Enablement Package, which provides a delivery team to lead, co-ordinate and support the deployment from pre-install to go-live.