The MD5 cryptographic hash function was first broken in 2004, when researchers demonstrated the first MD5 collision, namely two different messages X1 and X2 where MD5(X1) = MD5 (X2). Over the years, attacks on MD5 have only continued to improve, getting faster and more effective against real protocols. But despite continuous advancements in cryptography, MD5 has lurked in network protocols for years, and is still playing a critical role in some protocols even today.

Welcome to the 18th edition of the Cloudflare DDoS Threat Report. Released quarterly, these reports provide an in-depth analysis of the DDoS threat landscape as observed across the Cloudflare network. This edition focuses on the second quarter of 2024. With a 280 terabit per second network located across over 230 cities worldwide, serving 19% of all websites, Cloudflare holds a unique vantage point that enables us to provide valuable insights and trends to the broader Internet community.

The digital world thrives on constant connectivity, making websites and online services the cornerstones of countless businesses. But these crucial platforms are constantly under siege by malicious actors. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, where attackers overwhelm an online service infrastructure with a flood of traffic, pose a significant threat, causing service disruption and downtime which results in financial losses and reputational damage.

The recent surge in phishing attacks capable of bypassing multi-factor authentication (MFA) has raised significant concerns in the cybersecurity landscape. These attacks highlight the fact that even systems protected by MFA have vulnerabilities, making it imperative for organizations to stay vigilant and not rely on a single control as a silver bullet. One such campaign, known as 0ktapus, provides a crucial case study in understanding the methods and impacts of these phishing attacks.

Ransomware isn’t just a threat—it’s a harsh reality facing IT professionals in many industries. And while Kubernetes and OpenShift are powerful platforms for modern infrastructure, they introduce unique complexities that cybercriminals can exploit. The fallout from a successful attack is well documented: significant financial loss, operational downtime, and potential damage to your organization’s reputation.

The cloud offers unparalleled flexibility and scalability, from data storage to maintaining an online presence. However, this increased reliance on cloud infrastructure also brings heightened risks, particularly from DDoS attacks. Recent incidents underscore the urgent need for robust DDoS protection. For instance, the HTTP/2-based DDoS attack peaked last August, reaching over 398 million requests per second.

An application layer DDoS attack, also known as a Layer 7 (L7) DDoS attack, targets the application layer of the OSI model. This type of DDoS attack focuses on disrupting specific functions or features of a website or online service. Layer 7 attacks leverage loopholes, vulnerabilities, or business logic flaws in the application layer to orchestrate the attacks. Here are the key characteristics and methods: Examples of L7 attacks are Slowloris, GET/POST Floods, etc.

A widespread ransomware attack has brought thousands of car dealerships across the United States to a halt. The incident, attributed to the BlackSuit ransomware gang, targeted CDK Global, a software provider essential to the operations of numerous car dealerships. This breach underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures such as stolen credentials detection, darknet monitoring services, and digital footprint analysis.

A recent cyberattack on Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago has resulted in a significant data breach, exposing the personal information of 791,000 patients. Despite the hospital's refusal to pay a ransom, a vast amount of sensitive medical data is now at risk. Details of the Attack The cybercriminals infiltrated the hospital's systems, causing severe disruptions to its patient portal, communications, and access to medical records.