Surge in DDoS Attacks Threatens Cyprus Banking and iGaming Sectors

Severity: High (Score: 61.5)

Sources: Kiprinform

Summary

In the first quarter of 2026, a significant increase in DDoS attacks has been reported, particularly affecting Cyprus' banking, payments, and iGaming sectors. According to Qrator Labs, banks experienced 22.8% of these incidents, while payment systems and betting platforms accounted for 15.9% and 10.0%, respectively. Together, these sectors represented nearly half of all recorded DDoS attacks. The report highlights a shift towards more complex multi-vector attacks, with such incidents rising by 34% compared to the previous year. Notably, high-intensity attacks exceeding 1 Tbps have become more common, including one attack on a Cyprus-based iGaming platform that peaked at over 2 Tbps for more than 40 minutes. These disruptions pose risks to online services and payment processing, leading to potential financial losses and reputational damage for the affected organizations. Key Points: • DDoS attacks in Cyprus increased significantly in Q1 2026, targeting banks, payments, and iGaming. • Banks accounted for 22.8% of DDoS incidents, with payment systems and betting platforms also heavily impacted. • High-intensity DDoS attacks exceeding 1 Tbps have become more frequent, causing major service disruptions.

Key Entities

• DDoS (attack_type)
• Qrator Labs (company)
• Cyprus (country)
• Financial (industry)
• T1499 - Endpoint Denial of Service (mitre_attack)