NetScout report shows high-impact DDoS attacks surge 1,286% in first half of 2026
NTCT•NetScout's report recorded 9,146,021 global DDoS attacks in the first half of 2026. Attacks exceeding 1 terabit per second or 1 billion packets per second rose 1,286% year over year to 1,095.
1. Attack totals rise
NetScout's October 20 report recorded 9,146,021 global DDoS attacks in the first half of 2026. Attacks exceeding 1 terabit per second or 1 billion packets per second surged 1,286% year over year to 1,095.
2. Attack methods shift
Direct-path attacks accounted for 64.4% of attacks. The report said DDoS-for-hire services increasingly compete on effectiveness rather than bandwidth, using residential sources to help attacks blend into legitimate traffic.
3. Mitigation needs
The findings point to demand for intelligent mitigation capacity, with on-premises protection complemented by cloud services for attacks that exceed local capacity.
