How YonderUC Responded to Major US Carrier DDoS Attack

What is DDoS?  DDoS is a Distributed Denial of Service Attack.  This type of attack attempts to overwhelm server(s) by sending multiple requests to limit or prevent the server(s) ability to respond and thus denying access to critical applications.  DDoS attacks are extremely effective in causing major issues with even the largest of networks and providers.

Recently one of YonderUC’s providers for voice trunking experienced a major DDoS attack (The attack started 9/25 and it is still ongoing as of 9/29 – 8:15AM CST).  This caused a percentage of customers to have limited or intermittent call trunking services.  Customers would experience call quality issues, one way audio, and DTMF tone detection issues causing the inability to navigate Auto Attendants.

To understand the issue fully, all DID’s and phone numbers in the US are assigned to one specific carrier.  This carrier is responsible for routing the call when the number is dialed.  If that carrier cannot route the call properly then there is nothing that the calling party or the called party can do.  The carrier must resolve their technical issue.  This particular DDoS attacked occurred on one of the largest VOIP call trunking carriers in the US.

YonderUC took the emergency step of porting (moving) all telephone numbers that were serviced by this provider immediately to another carrier.  Although calls were affected by this DDoS attack in the short term, our response was immediate and resolute.  As of 9/29 early AM, all YonderUC DID’s previously with the affected carrier were moved to another carrier and calls were processing properly.  YonderUC customers were now experiencing call completion and services as normal and we are monitoring the persistent ongoing attack against the other carrier.

Threat actors are constantly looking for ways to disrupt and capitalize on vulnerabilities in networks.  The simple nature of the internet and our connectedness ensures that the pathways to allow these attacks are open and available.  YonderUC will constantly look for ways to mitigate the risk for clients and strive to react in the most efficient and effective way possible to ensure that your voice communications work.