New solution leverages machine learning and global intelligence to enhance robust detection and mitigation capabilities against application-layer DDoS attacks

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the cloud company that powers and protects life online, today announced the availability of Behavioral DDoS Engine for its App & API Protector solution. This new capability leverages machine learning for automatic, proactive protection against application-layer DDoS attacks.

Behavioral DDoS Engine offers advanced detection and mitigation by analyzing anomalies and correlating multidimensional traffic data, ensuring robust defense against sophisticated and evolving DDoS threats. The engine provides customized, hands-off protection tailored to specific traffic baselines and risk sensitivities, minimizing manual intervention. Powered by machine learning, it optimizes detection with a unique scoring mechanism that reduces false positives. Leveraging global DDoS intelligence from the Akamai platform, the solution delivers automatic updates and modernized defense, while expert-verified insights ensure reliable protection for diverse digital environments.

At the time of launch, Behavioral DDoS Engine remains in limited availability for a select set of customers, with platform-wide access available in 2025.

In addition, Akamai is also introducing a new AI Assistant. This new feature, embedded directly in Akamai's web security analytics, allows users to quickly filter and query security insights across all data attributes — which includes attack types, IPs, countries, threat scores, and dozens more — via an intuitive chat-based interface. By leveraging AI, users can now instantly access relevant security insights, streamline data exploration, and improve investigation efficiency.

"With the additions of Behavioral DDoS Engine and AI Assistant, Akamai offers an uncompromising defense that simplifies operations without sacrificing control," said Rupesh Chokshi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Application Security, Akamai. "In the age of AI, organizations can no longer afford to compromise — these new additions to Akamai App & API Protector ensure that they won't have to."

The announced release also includes several more capabilities that advance the solution's best-in-breed protections and simplified security operations. This consists of Rapid Rules, a fast CVE and zero-day protection capability. Notably, the Adaptive Security Engine released a significant update to machine learning and advanced heuristic models, further improving accuracy. Aggregated mode for rate limit controls, which helps detect advanced DDoS attack techniques, closes out the list of new advancements.