DDoS Attacks on State Resources Surge by 40% During National Holiday Period

VAS Latvian State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) informs that during the holidays of the Day of the Restoration of Latvian Independence, there was a significant increase in denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks targeting state resources. From May 1st to 5th, the volume of DDoS attacks increased by 40% compared to other days of the month. The LVRTC Web Application Firewall (WAF) blocked more than 100,000 illegitimate requests per day. These attacks were particularly focused on financial sector resources.

LVRTC has been active in the field of cybersecurity since 2015, when, during Latvia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it was entrusted with protecting national resources against denial-of-service attacks. LVRTC provides cybersecurity services to approximately 50 state institutions and state-owned organizations that are included in the list of protected resources against denial of service cyberattacks. To be included in this list, organizations must take the initiative themselves.

“Often institutions believe they are not interesting or important enough to become a target of attacks. Unfortunately, the mindset of ‘I’m not significant enough to be attacked’ is no longer valid. The goal of such attacks is often simply to discredit the public administration and undermine public trust in the state’s capabilities,” emphasizes Ģirts Ozols, Chairman of the LVRTC Board.