As Ethiopia continues to expand its digital services, the country is increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats, particularly distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. According to the latest NETSCOUT Threat Intelligence Report for the first half of 2024, Ethiopian telecommunications have experienced a notable rise in DDoS incidents, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures.
The report reveals that Ethiopia recorded a total of 107 DDoS attacks in the first six months of the year. These attacks primarily targeted the wireless telecommunications sector, with some incidents lasting as long as 29 minutes. The most common attack method was DNS Amplification, which accounted for 37 of the incidents. The largest single attack reached a bandwidth of 12.18 Gbps and a throughput of 1.18 million packets per second (Mpps).
Bryan Hamman, regional director for Africa at NETSCOUT, emphasized that as digital infrastructure grows, so does the risk of cyberattacks. “Ethiopia’s expanding reliance on digital services makes it a prime target for threat actors looking to exploit vulnerabilities,” he stated. “Organizations must prioritize robust DDoS mitigation strategies to safeguard their digital assets and ensure operational continuity.”
The report indicates that East African countries are facing escalating cyber risks, with Kenya and Mauritius emerging as the top targets for DDoS attacks in the region. Kenya alone saw 57,319 attacks in the same period, with attackers employing sophisticated multi-vector tactics. The telecommunications sector in Kenya was particularly hard hit, raising concerns about similar vulnerabilities in Ethiopia’s telecom infrastructure.
While Ethiopia’s figures are lower than those of its neighbors, the increase in DDoS activity signals a growing threat landscape that requires vigilant monitoring and proactive defense strategies. As businesses and government entities enhance their digital capabilities, they must also invest in cybersecurity measures to protect against potential disruptions.
The NETSCOUT report serves as a critical reminder of the evolving nature of cyber threats in East Africa and underscores the need for collaboration among governments, businesses, and cybersecurity experts to build resilient defenses against DDoS attacks and other cyber threats.
