Nicosia, Cyprus. A sharp rise in DDoS attacks is increasing risk for Cyprus’ banking, payments and iGaming sectors, according to new data from cybersecurity firm Qrator Labs. The firm’s first quarter 2026 report said these industries are among the most frequently targeted globally.
Most targeted sectors in Q1 2026
Qrator Labs reported that banks accounted for 22.8 per cent of DDoS incidents in the first quarter, followed by payment systems at 15.9 per cent and betting platforms at 10.0 per cent. Combined, the three sectors represented nearly half of all recorded attacks during the quarter.
Shift toward complex and sustained attacks
The report cited a shift toward more complex and sustained DDoS attacks, increasing disruption for availability-critical businesses. Compared with the previous year, the share of multi-vector DDoS attacks rose by 34 per cent, while incidents combining network-layer and application-layer techniques nearly doubled.
High-intensity attacks and a Cyprus iGaming case
Qrator Labs said high-intensity attacks have become more common, with multiple incidents exceeding 1 Tbps during the quarter. One notable case involved a Cyprus-based iGaming platform targeted by an attack that exceeded 2 Tbps at its peak and maintained peak intensity for more than 40 minutes.
Potential business impact
The report said such incidents can disrupt online services, payment processing and customer access, potentially causing financial losses and reputational damage.
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