Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are a year-round threat. However, as many security practitioners can attest, DDoS attacks are particularly prolific during high-traffic times like the holiday season.

The holidays are typically a time when organizations have reduced resources, with staff taking vacation and fewer cyber resources dedicated to monitoring networks and applications. Cybercriminals often take advantage of this opportunity to more easily execute lucrative attacks, since sales are at their highest and organizations are under pressure to minimize service downtime. Additionally, since traffic volume is at an all-time high, it can be difficult for IT staff to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate traffic. This creates a pressing need for security teams to proactively defend against attacks.