Controlled Attack Simulation

DDoS & Ransomware Simulation

Test your organization's resilience against the most devastating cyber attacks. Our controlled simulations reveal weaknesses before real attackers exploit them—building battle-tested incident response capabilities.

50+

Simulations Executed

99.9%

Post-Hardening Uptime

85%

Faster IR Response

Unintended Disruptions

Consult Cyber Experts

The Challenge

Are You Really Prepared for an Attack?

Most organizations believe they're prepared for cyber attacks—until they face one. DDoS attacks can take your services offline for hours or days, while ransomware can encrypt critical data and cripple operations.

Ransomware gangs specifically target endpoints because they know most organizations lack visibility into remote devices. Once inside, attackers move laterally and encrypt everything.

Untested incident response plans fail when pressure mounts. Teams panic, communication breaks down, and recovery takes far longer than estimated.

Legacy antivirus and VPN solutions weren't designed for today's threats. You need next-generation protection that assumes breach and responds in real-time.

Attack Threat Landscape

The attacks we simulate reflect real-world threats targeting UAE organizations today.

3.47 Tbps

Largest recorded attack

Volumetric DDoS Attacks

Massive traffic floods designed to saturate network bandwidth and overwhelm infrastructure capacity.

65%

Of all DDoS attacks

Protocol Layer Attacks

SYN floods, UDP amplification, and DNS reflection attacks that exploit network protocol weaknesses.

Most

Difficult to detect

Application Layer Attacks

HTTP floods and slow attacks targeting web applications, APIs, and trading platforms.

$4.5M

Avg. recovery cost

Ransomware Encryption

File encryption malware that holds data hostage, crippling operations until ransom is paid.

83%

Use double extortion

Double Extortion

Modern ransomware exfiltrates data before encryption, threatening public exposure.

742%

Increase since 2019

Supply Chain Attacks

Attackers compromise trusted software to deploy ransomware across multiple organizations.

Comprehensive Protection Solutions

Multi-layered security that protects endpoints from every angle—before, during, and after an attack.

DDoS Attack Simulation

Controlled network and application layer attacks to test infrastructure resilience.

What We Test:

Volumetric flood attacks (up to 100+ Gbps)

SYN flood and UDP amplification

HTTP/HTTPS application layer floods

DNS and NTP amplification attacks

Slowloris and slow POST attacks

API endpoint stress testing

Outcomes:

Mitigation solution validation

Failover mechanism testing

Recovery time measurement

Capacity threshold identification

Ransomware Simulation

Controlled ransomware scenarios to test detection, containment, and recovery capabilities.

What We Test:

Phishing and initial access vectors

Credential harvesting attempts

Lateral movement detection

Privilege escalation techniques

Data exfiltration simulation

Encryption behavior (safe simulation)

Outcomes:

EDR/XDR detection validation

Backup integrity verification

Recovery time objectives (RTO) testing

IR team coordination assessment

Tabletop Exercises

Board-level and executive crisis simulations without technical attack execution.

What We Test:

Attack scenario walkthroughs

Decision-making under pressure

Communication protocol testing

Regulatory notification procedures

Media response preparation

Stakeholder coordination

Outcomes:

Leadership preparedness assessment

Communication gap identification

Crisis management improvement

Regulatory compliance validation

Simulation Process

Our proven methodology ensures safe, effective, and actionable results.

Scoping & Planning
Week 1

Stakeholder alignment and objectives

Attack scenario selection

Success criteria definition

Safety controls and kill switches

Communication plan establishment

Regulatory notification (if required)

Infrastructure Assessment
Week 1-2

Network architecture review

Current defense evaluation

Attack surface mapping

Mitigation solution inventory

Baseline performance metrics

Recovery procedure documentation

Controlled Execution
Week 2-3

Phased attack escalation

Real-time monitoring

Detection capability observation

Response team activation

Failover trigger testing

Recovery procedure execution

Analysis & Hardening
Week 3-4

Gap analysis and findings

Performance metrics review

Remediation roadmap

Playbook refinement

Executive presentation

90-day re-test scheduling

Regulatory Compliance

UAE Resilience Requirements

Our simulations meet and exceed regulatory mandates for attack resilience testing.

Central Bank UAE

Annual resilience testing requirement

Business continuity plan validation

Incident response capability assessment

Recovery time objective (RTO) verification

Third-party risk scenario testing

VARA

Cyber resilience testing mandate

Attack simulation documentation

Incident response plan testing

Trading platform availability assurance

Customer asset protection validation

DESC

Critical infrastructure protection

DDoS mitigation requirements

Incident detection and response

Recovery capability demonstration

Annual assessment reporting

Recent Success Story

Real Results for UAE Clients

CLIENT

UAE Crypto Exchange (VARA Regulated)

CHALLENGE

The exchange processed AED 500M+ daily trading volume but had never tested their DDoS defenses or ransomware response capabilities. VARA regulations required documented resilience testing, and they feared a real attack would halt trading for days, causing massive customer losses and regulatory penalties.

SOLUTION

Executed controlled DDoS simulation targeting trading APIs with volumetric (100Gbps), protocol (SYN flood), and application-layer (HTTP flood) attacks. Followed with ransomware simulation testing backup recovery, trading system failover, and communication procedures. Validated Cloudflare and AWS Shield configurations. Conducted tabletop exercise with executive team.

RESULTS ACHIEVED

Identified 12 critical gaps before real attackers could exploit them

Improved DDoS mitigation response from 45 minutes to 4 minutes (91% faster)

Validated backup recovery: restored trading in 2 hours vs. 8 hour estimate

Maintained 99.9% uptime across 15 subsequent real DDoS attacks

Achieved 100% VARA resilience testing compliance for regulatory audit

"ITSEC's attack simulations were eye-opening. We thought we were prepared, but the simulation revealed critical blind spots in our defenses. Now we maintain 99.9% uptime even during real attacks, and VARA auditors praised our resilience program."

— Chief Technology Officer, UAE Crypto Exchange

Why Choose ITSEC

We deliver faster results, deeper expertise, and stronger regulatory relationships than traditional security consultancies

Capability	ITSEC	Big 4 Firms	Local Startups
Simulation Realism	Real-world attack vectors & TTPs	Generic theoretical scenarios	Basic stress testing
UAE Threat Intelligence	15+ years UAE-specific threat data	Global intelligence only	Limited threat knowledge
Regulatory Alignment	Central Bank, VARA, DESC compliant	International standards only	No compliance focus
IR Team Training	Hands-on incident response included	Separate engagement required	No training component
Safety Controls	Military-grade kill switches	Basic safety measures	Variable controls
Post-Simulation Support	90-day re-test included	Additional cost	No follow-up

15+ Years UAE Market Leadership

Unlike Big 4 consultancies with generic security practices or startup firms with limited track records, ITSEC specializes exclusively in cybersecurity for UAE regulated sectors. Our proven methodologies have secured $500M+ in digital assets and achieved 100% regulatory compliance success across VARA, Central Bank, and DFSA audits.

Why Organizations Choose ITSEC

Real Attack Experience

Our team has defended UAE organizations against 500+ real DDoS and ransomware attacks.

UAE Regulatory Expertise

Deep knowledge of Central Bank, VARA, and DESC resilience testing requirements.

Controlled Execution

Military-grade safety controls ensure simulations never cause unintended damage.

Proven Results

Clients achieve 85% faster incident response and maintain 99.9% uptime post-hardening.

IR Team Training

Hands-on training included—your team learns to respond under real attack pressure.

90-Day Retesting

Free validation testing after remediation to verify improvements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DDoS and ransomware simulation services.

What is the difference between DDoS simulation and penetration testing?

Penetration testing identifies vulnerabilities an attacker could exploit to gain access. DDoS simulation specifically tests your organization's ability to maintain service availability under attack. While pen testing finds entry points, DDoS simulation validates that your infrastructure, mitigation solutions (like Cloudflare or AWS Shield), and incident response team can handle volumetric attacks that aim to take you offline. Both are complementary and often required together by UAE regulators.

Is DDoS simulation safe? Will it affect our production systems?

Yes, our simulations are completely safe. We implement multiple safety controls: gradual attack escalation, real-time monitoring, instant kill switches, and agreed-upon attack thresholds. Simulations typically target staging environments first, then production with careful controls. We've executed 50+ simulations without any unintended service disruption. Our contracts include liability coverage for additional peace of mind.

How does ransomware simulation work without encrypting real data?

We use specially developed simulation tools that mimic ransomware behavior without actual encryption. These tools test: lateral movement detection, backup accessibility during attack, EDR/XDR response capabilities, and incident response team coordination. We can simulate the full attack lifecycle—from phishing to privilege escalation to 'encryption' notification—while your data remains completely safe.

What regulatory requirements mandate attack simulation in UAE?

Central Bank UAE requires annual resilience testing for licensed financial institutions. VARA mandates cyber resilience testing for all Virtual Asset Service Providers. DESC requires critical infrastructure operators to demonstrate attack defense capabilities. DFSA and ADGM have similar expectations for regulated entities. Our simulation reports are formatted for regulatory submission and include compliance attestations.

How long does a typical simulation engagement take?

Foundation tier (single simulation type) takes 2 weeks. Professional tier (DDoS + ransomware) takes 3-4 weeks. Enterprise annual programs run quarterly. Timeline includes: Week 1 for planning and infrastructure assessment, Week 2-3 for controlled attack execution, Week 3-4 for analysis and reporting. 90-day re-testing is included to validate remediation effectiveness.

What deliverables do we receive after the simulation?

You receive: detailed technical findings report, executive summary for leadership/board, regulatory-formatted compliance documentation, incident response playbook improvements, remediation roadmap with prioritized recommendations, team performance assessment, and baseline metrics for future comparison. Enterprise clients receive quarterly trend analysis and SOC performance benchmarking.

DDoS & Ransomware Simulation

Are You Really Prepared for an Attack?

Attack Threat Landscape

Comprehensive Protection Solutions

Simulation Process

UAE Resilience Requirements

Real Results for UAE Clients

Why Choose ITSEC

Why Organizations Choose ITSEC

Frequently Asked Questions

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