Cloud firm planning global network expansion following £4m investment

UKFast offices

Cloud specialist UKFast is investing £4m to expand its network globally, launching new points of presence in Amsterdam, Seattle and Manchester.

The move marks the first phase in a series of global network investments for the firm.

The expansion will more than double the capacity of UKFast’s distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) mitigation network.

DDoS attacks flood a website or server with malicious traffic, making it unavailable to its intended users.

Attacks are still on the rise, with perpetrators harnessing insecure Internet of Things (IoT) devices to create ever-larger attacks.

The largest DDoS attack ever took place last year, measuring 1.3Tbps.

DDoSX uses complex algorithms and AI to analyse malicious online behaviour and defends organisations against the significant impact of DDoS attacks, absorbing traffic and filtering it away from the target’s IT systems.

The global DDoSX infrastructure also offers clients access to content delivery network (CDN) and web application firewall (WAF) services.

UKFast’s  chief executive Lawrence Jones said: “The rise in the intensity and regularity of DDoS attacks in recent years is alarming.

“A decade ago we might have seen one DDoS attack a year. Nowadays it can be three or four a day.

“The latest investment in DDoSX enables greater performance and resilience for clients, whilst giving us the capacity to absorb attacks of even greater strength.”

He added: “Whilst attackers often use proxy servers to mask their identity, everything is traceable on the internet.

“There are more and more people being prosecuted for DDoS and similar attacks.

“Our AI platform uses data from multiple touch points across the network and security operations centre, collating information about specific IPs and locations to keep on watch lists. We are working closely with law enforcement agencies to help protect people online.”

DDoS attacks can also be used as a decoy while hackers attempt to access IT environments.

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