Comcast enlists Lancope for data center DDoS fight

Broadband giant Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is working with Lancope to use the vendor's StealthWatch system to monitor its rapidly growing data center network.

Many service providers are in the same position as Comcast of rapidly building out their data center presence, which can make it difficult to get a handle on security attacks as they are unfolding. Comcast admitted that in some cases it could otherwise take days to tracks DDoS attacks, but with the Lancope system, the cable TV company can potentially trace attacks to their sources with a few hours.

Distributed denial-of-services attacks continue to increase in number, intensity and sophistication. For example, a recent Panmeon Institute study found that more than half of U.S. banks were targeted by DDoS attacks just last year.

Telecom service providers have been well aware of DDoS attacks and other security threats for many years now, but the Panmeon study is a reminder that the battle rages on. Service providers have seen their own share of DDoS attacks and similar episodes in the last year.

For instance, two widely reported DDoS attacks affected AT&T's (NYSE: T) network to varying extents in August and September of last year. Though most carriers have taken precautions to detect and mitigate the effects of such attacks, the recent news also is a reminder that service providers must continue to refine the tools they use to keep the attackers at bay.

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