NETSCOUT > Case Studies > SK Telecom Protects Mobile Network from DDoS Attacks and Mobile App Anomalies with Arbor Networks SP Technology

SK Telecom Protects Mobile Network from DDoS Attacks and Mobile App Anomalies with Arbor Networks SP Technology

Company Size

1,000+

Region

Asia

Country

Korea

Product

Arbor Networks SP
Arbor Networks TMS

Tech Stack

DDoS Protection
Network Anomaly Detection
Mobile Network Infrastructure

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Customer Satisfaction
Productivity Improvements

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Network Security
Networks & Connectivity - Network Management & Analysis Software

Applicable Industries

Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Use Cases

Cybersecurity

Services

System Integration

About The Customer

SK Telecom is a leading wireless communications operator in Korea, serving more than 26 million subscribers. The company is recognized as one of the most innovative technology companies in the telecom industry. SK Telecom continues to invest in building its advanced mobile network, bringing more diverse innovative services to customers, and turning their handsets into multifunctional communication tools and entertainment devices. The company is committed to maintaining the performance and availability of its mobile network and services despite the rise in mobile data traffic, mobile application anomalies, and DDoS attacks.

The Challenge

SK Telecom, a leading wireless communications operator in Korea, has been facing challenges due to the rise in mobile data and signaling traffic, driven by the increasing usage of 3G and 4G devices such as smartphones and tablets. The company has also been dealing with the threat of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and mobile application anomalies. Over the last three years, the number of attacks against their mobile network has increased five-fold. These attacks put additional traffic on an already stressed mobile network infrastructure, making it vital for these attacks to be detected and stopped as soon as possible. Additionally, poorly written mobile applications can cause major problems when popular mobile apps used by millions of subscribers encounter problems, acting like a DDoS attack on the mobile network.

The Solution

To manage the rise in mobile data and signaling traffic and protect its network from DDoS attacks and mobile application anomalies, SK Telecom relies on Arbor Networks® SP solution (“SP”), together with Arbor Networks® TMS (“TMS”). SP leverages IP flow and routing information embedded in the existing network infrastructure to deliver cost-effective and pervasive network visibility. The solution automatically conducts network anomaly detection and can easily detect threats such as DDoS attacks. For surgical mitigation of these attacks, Arbor provides TMS, which is a fully integrated component of the SP solution. TMS removes only the attack traffic while enabling good traffic to continue to flow. It comes in a variety of models that allow the mitigation of attacks ranging from 1 Gbps to 40 Gbps using either Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) off-ramping or in-line deployment.

Operational Impact

Performance and availability of mobile network and services are maintained.
DDoS attacks and mobile application anomalies are detected and stopped.
The solution provides cost-effective and pervasive network visibility.
The solution allows for surgical mitigation of attacks, removing only the attack traffic while enabling good traffic to continue to flow.

Quantitative Benefit