Brute force attacks can happen at any time of the year, but there are certain periods when they may be more common. One factor that can increase the likelihood of a brute force attack is when there is a significant increase in web traffic or when there are specific events that can be exploited by attackers.
Online shopping during the Holidays
Brute force attacks will increase during the holiday season when online shopping and transactions tend to spike. December is typically a popular month for increased brute force attacks due to the holiday season. As Christmas approaches, many retailers offer sales and promotions to attract shoppers, which can lead to a surge in traffic. May is also a popular month for attacks due to seasonal events such as the beginning of Summer, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day (in the United States), which can drive traffic to e-commerce and travel-related websites.
At LLAR, we see a correlation in our data that directly connects the spike in traffic from Holiday events to increased failed login attempts across our network. The slowest month for attacks are January, February and August which is likely due to fewer global events.
Why attack during periods of high traffic?
Believe it or not, but hackers must run their operation much like a legitimate business in order to be profitable. They need to generate revenue in order to afford the resources to continue launching their attacks. They will also generate the most revenue when web traffic and purchasing is high. For example, if a hacker breaks into your website and compromises your online store, they might maximize that opportunity by waiting until the next Holiday or event when your sales volume peaks. Or they could could hold your website for ransom, which puts you in a difficult situation if it’s your busiest time of the year.
It’s our belief that the most lucrative opportunities for hackers will be when your business is most vulnerable, which is typically when your generating the most revenue or traffic. This is why we recommend having the absolute best protection against attacks. Upgrading to LLAR premium will provide the advanced protection your website needs to insure hackers stay away – Get started today!
