- A massive DDOS attack was recently detected during a major NHL event
- The attack increased from 67 goals to almost 1 tops in twenty minutes
- Multivocative strike used UDP, SYN, IP and TCP flooding techniques
The QUATOR Labs cybersecurity company said it has managed to alleviate the largest DDOS attack to date recorded in 2025.
The attack on April 3 has targeted an anonymous online Paris organization, lasting approximately 90 minutes, from 11:15 am with an increase of 67 GB
The activity then decreased to 549 Gbit / s at 12:41, the attack ending shortly after. The DDOS attack was multivalective in nature, with a peak of 965 Gbit / s in a UDP flood, 229 GB
Sports events are major targets
Qrator notes that the attack occurred the same day as the NHL star, Alexander Ovechkin, scored his 892nd goal, equaling the longtime record of Wayne Gretzky. The realization of Ovechkin was probably the trigger for the attack, because the online betting sector is particularly vulnerable during major sporting events.
A similar attack model was spotted during the UEFA 2024 European football championship, which was held in Germany, where DDOS activity peaks have also targeted online Paris sites.
“This new incident is a clear reminder that the main events specific to industry can be exploited by malicious actors. The companies working with them, such as online Paris platforms, must prepare in advance to defend their digital infrastructure when attention is at its peak, “said Andrey Leskin, director of technology at Qrator Labs.
With major sports moments drawing a massive online audience, Paris platforms continue to be a main target for coordinated attacks like this.
Other notable sporting events that should take place this year, which could prove to be a target for similar DDOS strikes, include the FIFA club World Cup in the United States and the World athletics Championships in Tokyo.
