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A massive DDoS attack was recently detected during a major NHL eventAttack grew from 67Gbps to nearly 1Tbps in twenty minutesMultivector strike used UDP, SYN, IP, and TCP flood techniques
Cybersecurity firm Qrator Labs has reported that it successfully mitigated the largest recorded DDoS attack of 2025.
The incident occurred on April 3, targeting an unnamed online betting platform. The attack commenced at 11:15 with an initial flood of 67Gbps, which rapidly increased to 217Gbps by 11:23, ultimately peaking at 965Gbps by 11:36 before tapering off to 549Gbps by 12:41, concluding shortly thereafter. The multivector nature of the attack was evident, showcasing a peak of 965Gbps from UDP floods, with additional peaks of 229Gbps from SYN floods, 214Gbps from IP floods, and 169Gbps from TCP floods.
Sporting events are major targets
Qrator Labs highlighted that the timing of the attack coincided with NHL star Alexander Ovechkin’s accomplishment of scoring his 892nd goal, which tied Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing record. This achievement likely attracted increased online betting activity, making the sector particularly susceptible to cyber assaults during high-profile sporting events.
A similar pattern of DDoS attacks was observed during the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship in Germany, where online betting sites experienced noticeable spikes in activity.
“This recent incident serves as a stark reminder that significant industry events can be prone to exploitation by malicious entities. Companies engaging with these events, particularly online betting platforms, must proactively strengthen their digital defenses when public attention peaks,” stated Andrey Leskin, Chief Technology Officer at Qrator Labs.
As landmark sporting events continue to attract large online audiences, betting platforms remain a frequent target for coordinated DDoS attacks.
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Looking ahead, other major sporting events this year, such as the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States and the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, could similarly face the risk of targeted DDoS strikes.
Source
www.techradar.com