More than two out of five businesses (43%), who had been the victim of an attack DDoS (distributed denial of service) in their IT system, believe that their competitors were hiding behind.
According to her research Kaspersky Lab and B2B International, competing businesses are considered more likely to be guilty than digital criminals who are reported as suspects by less than two in five (38%) victims. 
Kaspersky Lab's Survey entitled “2016 IT Security Risks*', found that industrial sabotage was seen as the most likely cause behind a DDoS attack, ranking higher than political conspiracy and personal vendettas against a business. Only one in five attack victims (20%) blamed foreign governments and intelligence agencies, with the same proportion (21%) suspecting disgruntled former employees.
When evaluating the overall pictures, more than half (56%) of DDoS attack victims in Asia-Pacific blame their competitors, and over a quarter blame foreign governments (28%). Personal vices also rank high for this area.
One in three (33%) blame former staff. However, only a third (37%) of businesses in Western Europe suspect dirty game by its competitors, with a fifth (17%) blaming foreign governments.
Observing behavior according to business size, small businesses are more likely to suspect their competitors when experiencing a DDoS attack.
48% of SME representatives think this is the reality, compared with only 36% of large businesses. Instead, representatives of large corporations consider that former officials and foreign governments have the greatest responsibility.
"It is clear that businesses feel that their information systems and personal data are under siege from all sides"said Kirill Ilganaev, Kaspersky Lab's Head of Kaspersky DDoS Protection. "With DDoS attacks being so frequent and powerful, many suspect that competitors are behind them, looking for ways to put their except action and as a result steal their customers. With these insidious tactics ever increasing, it is imperative for businesses to protect themselves and remain impervious to potential attacks in order to stay in the game.”
