The number of DDoS attacks recorded in the third quarter of this year has grown by 180 percent compared to Q3 2014. Smaller companies’ websites are increasingly at risk due to the rising popularity of the DDoS-for-hire services and are also a prime target for attackers that use DDoS as an extortion tool. Despite their large number, the attacks were shorter in duration, had lower bandwidth and smaller volumes compared to both the same period last year and the previous quarter. One reason for the growing number of less powerful attacks might be attackers’ increasing use of so-called booter services.”]