Everyone uses an internet service provider (ISPs) to connect to the internet, but not all ISPs are created equal when it comes to security.

Cybersecurity has become a major focus, for private companies and government agencies alike. Recent ransomware attacks have illustrated the vulnerabilities of software, services, and cloud options. Supply chain attacks, where bad actors compromise a commonly-used software component, have become a major attack vector.

Another, often-overlooked, possible avenue of attack are ISPs. Unfortunately, the playing field isn’t always a fair one, according to Gustavas Davidavicius, Abuse Prevention Team Lead at IPXO. While larger ISPs have the IP and human resources needed to response swiftly to threats, smaller ISPs often can’t compete.

Davidavicius used the example of a recent DDoS attack against Vocus NZ, New Zealand’s third-largest ISP.

“The pressures of having to make swift decisions can have a significant impact when managing security breaches. In this case, it seems that a few unfortunate decisions led to filtering out tons of legitimate traffic for all, leaving users without an Internet connection,” Davidavicius explained.

“Cyber resilience has always been one of the top priorities, however, there is no single best solution that could address all the issues. As with all internet-related activities, the best way to protect yourself varies based on use cases and scope,” he continued.

Unfortunately, until smaller ISPs are able to address their limitations, they will continue to be a weak link that hackers can exploit, leading to further internet outages.