Overload attack (DDoS): Telecommunications, Switzerland 2024
On 23 August 2024, an unusually large DDoS attack hit Swisscom.
- Incident · 08.2024 · Switzerland
- Evidence: confirmed by an authority
- Overload attack (DDoS)
As of
What happened
Over lunchtime, Twint payments, mobile payment and e-banking were temporarily restricted; later Swisscom reported a disruption of the business customer product «Smart Business Connect». According to Swisscom, private customer services were not affected.
- Affected
- Swisscom
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Loss
- no reliable figure
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- unknown / unknown
- Data affected
- unknown
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- not stated in the sources
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
-
Loss of income if the cloud or a provider is attacked
Mostly limited 6 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
-
Loss of income after an attack
Business interruption, only after the waiting period
Mostly covered 7 of 9 business products cover it fully, as an add-on or with limits.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
If a network provider fails, dependent services such as Twint are also affected; businesses need a second payment channel.
Sources
- Grosser DDoS-Angriff auf Swisscom (opens in a new window) Netzwoche · 23.08.2024
«Unsere Spezialisten wehren DDoS-Attacken täglich ab. Diese war aber gross»
- Halbjahresbericht 2024/2 (opens in a new window) Bundesamt für Cybersicherheit BACS · 2025
«Temporäre Ausfälle bei Finanzdienstleistungen»