Six questions organisations need to ask to assess the cost of a DDoS attack

Corero Network Security has introduced a calculator that enables organisations to identify the costs associated with DDoS attacks. This easy-to-use tool is available online without cost.

  • Thursday, 20th June 2013 Posted 11 years ago in by Phil Alsop

The Corero DDoS Attack Cost Calculator takes into consideration several DDoS attack variables that can affect revenue. Using Corero’s calculator, organisations which depend on the Internet for revenue can understand the costs associated with a DDoS attack and other unwanted traffic breaching their network at the perimeter. This tool allows Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other IT management to run various what-if scenarios by changing any number of variables to understand the costs associated with an attack from every angle.


The calculator assesses DDoS attack costs using six questions:
• Do you have a DDoS defense solution in place?
• Do you have a DDoS defense plan?
• What is your total average monthly revenue?
• How important is your brand?
• What percent of your revenue is Internet based?
• How many DDoS attacks do you experience annually?


With an increase in malicious attacks on organisations from competitors cyber criminals, ideological hacktivists and nation states there is no foreseeable end in sight to the use of DDoS as the preferred method of assault. These attacks go beyond simple annoyance to fiscal turmoil, for example an organisation that is 100% Internet based, with two million dollars in monthly revenue, stresses the importance of their brand, but relies solely on traditional security solutions, like firewalls, suffers average downtime costs of $226,857.00 per DDoS attack.


The calculator, which is based on average attack costs of enterprises seeking Corero’s solutions, helps organisations quickly and easily understand the impact of being hit by a DDoS attack.


“The cost of a DDoS attack is approximately 300% greater if an organisation has not implemented a DDoS attack detection and response plan," said Marty Meyer, Corero’s President. “In addition to the direct costs of DDoS attacks, including lost revenue and incident management, there are substantial indirect costs related to reputation and brand damage. Payback on investment in DDoS mitigation technology, such as Corero’s First Line of Defense products and services often are recouped in the mitigation of a single attack.”