Infrastructure for

streaming video

Network cyberattacks are no longer isolated incidents. They are a constant, relentless assault on network infrastructure, probing for vulnerabilities in routing, session handling, and authentication flows. With AI at their disposal, threat actors can move faster than ever, shifting tactics mid-attack to bypass static defenses.Legacy systems, designed for simpler threats, cannot keep pace. Modern network security demands a new approach, combining real-time visibility, automated response, AI-driven adaptation, and decentralized protection to secure critical infrastructure without sacrificing speed or availability.At Gcore, we believe security must move as fast as your network does. So, in this article, we explore how L3/L4 network security is evolving to meet new network security challenges and how AI strengthens defenses against today’s most advanced threats.Smarter threat detection across complex network layersModern threats blend into legitimate traffic, using encrypted command-and-control, slow drip API abuse, and DNS tunneling to evade detection. Attackers increasingly embed credential stuffing into regular login activity. Without deep flow analysis, these attempts bypass simple rate limits and avoid triggering alerts until major breaches occur.Effective network defense today means inspection at Layer 3 and Layer 4, looking at:Traffic flow metadata (NetFlow, sFlow)SSL/TLS handshake anomaliesDNS request irregularitiesUnexpected session persistence behaviorsGcore Edge Security applies real-time traffic inspection across multiple layers, correlating flows and behaviors across routers, load balancers, proxies, and cloud edges. Even slight anomalies in NetFlow exports or unexpected east-west traffic inside a VPC can trigger early threat alerts.By combining packet metadata analysis, flow telemetry, and historical modeling, Gcore helps organizations detect stealth attacks long before traditional security controls react.Automated response to contain threats at network speedDetection is only half the battle. Once an anomaly is identified, defenders must act within seconds to prevent damage.Real-world example: DNS amplification attackIf a volumetric DNS amplification attack begins saturating a branch office's upstream link, automated systems can:Apply ACL-based rate limits at the nearest edge routerFilter malicious traffic upstream before WAN degradationAlert teams for manual inspection if thresholds escalateSimilarly, if lateral movement is detected inside a cloud deployment, dynamic firewall policies can isolate affected subnets before attackers pivot deeper.Gcore’s network automation frameworks integrate real-time AI decision-making with response workflows, enabling selective throttling, forced reauthentication, or local isolation—without disrupting legitimate users. Automation means threats are contained quickly, minimizing impact without crippling operations.Hardening DDoS mitigation against evolving attack patternsDDoS attacks have moved beyond basic volumetric floods. Today, attackers combine multiple tactics in coordinated strikes. Common attack vectors in modern DDoS include the following:UDP floods targeting bandwidth exhaustionSSL handshake floods overwhelming load balancersHTTP floods simulating legitimate browser sessionsAdaptive multi-vector shifts changing methods mid-attackReal-world case study: ISP under hybrid DDoS attackIn recent years, ISPs and large enterprises have faced hybrid DDoS attacks blending hundreds of gigabits per second of L3/4 UDP flood traffic with targeted SSL handshake floods. Attackers shift vectors dynamically to bypass static defenses and overwhelm infrastructure at multiple layers simultaneously. Static defenses fail in such cases because attackers change vectors every few minutes.Building resilient networks through self-healing capabilitiesEven the best defenses can be breached. When that happens, resilient networks must recover automatically to maintain uptime.If BGP route flapping is detected on a peering session, self-healing networks can:Suppress unstable prefixesReroute traffic through backup transit providersPrevent packet loss and service degradation without manual interventionSimilarly, if a VPN concentrator faces resource exhaustion from targeted attack traffic, automated scaling can:Spin up additional concentratorsRedistribute tunnel sessions dynamicallyMaintain stable access for remote usersGcore’s infrastructure supports self-healing capabilities by combining telemetry analysis, automated failover, and rapid resource scaling across core and edge networks. This resilience prevents localized incidents from escalating into major outages.Securing the edge against decentralized threatsThe network perimeter is now everywhere. Branches, mobile endpoints, IoT devices, and multi-cloud services all represent potential entry points for attackers.Real-world example: IoT malware infection at the branchMalware-infected IoT devices at a branch office can initiate outbound C2 traffic during low-traffic periods. Without local inspection, this activity can go undetected until aggregated telemetry reaches the central SOC, often too late.Modern edge security platforms deploy the following:Real-time traffic inspection at branch and edge routersBehavioral anomaly detection at local points of presenceAutomated enforcement policies blocking malicious flows immediatelyGcore’s edge nodes analyze flows and detect anomalies in near real time, enabling local containment before threats can propagate deeper into cloud or core systems. Decentralized defense shortens attacker dwell time, minimizes potential damage, and offloads pressure from centralized systems.How Gcore is preparing networks for the next generation of threatsThe threat landscape will only grow more complex. Attackers are investing in automation, AI, and adaptive tactics to stay one step ahead. Defending modern networks demands:Full-stack visibility from core to edgeAdaptive defense that adjusts faster than attackersAutomated recovery from disruption or compromiseDecentralized detection and containment at every entry pointGcore Edge Security delivers these capabilities, combining AI-enhanced traffic analysis, real-time mitigation, resilient failover systems, and edge-to-core defense. In a world where minutes of network downtime can cost millions, you can’t afford static defenses. We enable networks to protect critical infrastructure without sacrificing performance, agility, or resilience.Move faster than attackers. Build AI-powered resilience into your network with Gcore.Check out our docs to see how DDoS Protection protects your network

Building a startup is tough. Every decision about your infrastructure can make or break your speed to market and burn rate. Your time, team, and budget are stretched thin. That’s why you need a partner that helps you scale without compromise.At Gcore, we get it. We’ve been there ourselves, and we’ve helped thousands of engineering teams scale global applications under pressure.That’s why we created the Gcore Startups Program: to give early-stage founders the infrastructure, support, and pricing they actually need to launch and grow.At Gcore, we launched the Startups Program because we’ve been in their shoes. We know what it means to build under pressure, with limited resources, and big ambitions. We wanted to offer early-stage founders more than just short-term credits and fine print; our goal is to give them robust, long-term infrastructure they can rely on.Dmitry Maslennikov, Head of Gcore for StartupsWhat you get when you joinThe program is open to startups across industries, whether you’re building in fintech, AI, gaming, media, or something entirely new.Here’s what founders receive:Startup-friendly pricing on Gcore’s cloud and edge servicesCloud credits to help you get started without riskWhite-labeled dashboards to track usage across your team or customersPersonalized onboarding and migration supportGo-to-market resources to accelerate your launchYou also get direct access to all Gcore products, including Everywhere Inference, GPU Cloud, Managed Kubernetes, Object Storage, CDN, and security services. They’re available globally via our single, intuitive Gcore Customer Portal, and ready for your production workloads.When startups join the program, they get access to powerful cloud and edge infrastructure at startup-friendly pricing, personal migration support, white-labeled dashboards for tracking usage, and go-to-market resources. Everything we provide is tailored to the specific startup’s unique needs and designed to help them scale faster and smarter.Dmitry MaslennikovWhy startups are choosing GcoreWe understand that performance and flexibility are key for startups. From high-throughput AI inference to real-time media delivery, our infrastructure was designed to support demanding, distributed applications at scale.But what sets us apart is how we work with founders. We don’t force startups into rigid plans or abstract SLAs. We build with you 24/7, because we know your hustle isn’t a 9–5.One recent success story: an AI startup that migrated from a major hyperscaler told us they cut their inference costs by over 40%…and got actual human support for the first time. What truly sets us apart is our flexibility: we’re not a faceless hyperscaler. We tailor offers, support, and infrastructure to each startup’s stage and needs.Dmitry MaslennikovWe’re excited to support startups working on AI, machine learning, video, gaming, and real-time apps. Gcore for Startups is delivering serious value to founders in industries where performance, cost efficiency, and responsiveness make or break product experience.Ready to scale smarter?Apply today and get hands-on support from engineers who’ve been in your shoes. If you’re an early-stage startup with a working product and funding (pre-seed to Series A), we’ll review your application quickly and tailor infrastructure that matches your stage, stack, and goals.To get started, head on over to our Gcore for Startups page and book a demo.Discover Gcore for Startups

When you're building real-time applications, whether for streaming platforms, SaaS dashboards, or security-sensitive services, you need content that adapts on the fly. Blocking suspicious IPs, injecting personalized content, transforming media on the edge—these should be fast, scalable, and reliable.Until now, they weren't.Developers and technical teams often had to work across multiple departments to create brittle, hardcoded solutions. Each use case, like watermarking video or rewriting headers, required a custom integration. There was no easy way to run logic dynamically at the edge. That changes with FastEdge Triggers.Real-time logic, built into the edgeFastEdge Triggers let you execute custom serverless logic at key moments in the HTTP lifecycle:on_request_headerson_request_bodyon_response_headerson_response_bodyFastEdge is built on the proxy-wasm standard, making it easy to adapt existing proxy-wasm applications (e.g., for Envoy or Kong) for use with Gcore. These trigger types align directly with proxy-wasm conventions, meaning less friction for developers familiar with modern proxy architectures.This means that you can now:Authenticate users' tokens, such as JWTBlock access by IP, region, or user agentInject CSS, HTML, or JavaScript into responsesTransform images or convert markdown to HTML before deliveryAdd security tokens or watermarks to video contentRewrite or sanitize request headers and bodiesNo backend round-trips. No manual routing. Just real-time, programmable edge behavior, backed by Gcore's global infrastructure.While FastEdge enables instant logic execution at the edge, response-stage triggers (on_response_headers and on_response_body) naturally depend on receiving data from the origin before acting. Even so, transformations happen at the edge, reducing backend load and improving overall efficiency.Our architecture means that FastEdge logic is executed in ultra-low-latency environments, tightly coupled with CDN. Triggers can be layered across multiple stages of a request without performance degradation.Built for developersFastEdge Triggers were built to solve three core pain points for technical teams:Hard to scale: Custom logic used to require bespoke, team-specific workaroundsHard to maintain: Even single-team solutions became brittle without proper edge infrastructureLimited flexibility: Legacy CDN logic couldn't support complex, dynamic behaviorWith FastEdge, developers have full control: no DevOps bottlenecks, no workarounds, no compromises. Logic runs at the edge, not your origin, minimizing backend exposure. FastEdge apps execute in isolated, sandboxed environments, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities that might otherwise be introduced when logic runs on central infrastructure.How it works behind the scenesEach FastEdge application is written in Rust or AssemblyScript and connected to the HTTP request lifecycle through Gcore's configuration interface. Apps are linked to trigger types through the CDN resource settings page in the Gcore Customer Portal.Configuring FastEdge Triggers from the CDN resource settings screen in the Gcore Customer PortalHere's what happens under the hood:You assign a FastEdge app to a trigger point.Our Core Proxy detects that trigger and automatically routes execution through your custom logic.The result is returned before hitting cache or origin, modified, enriched, and secured.This flow is deeply integrated with our CDN, delivering minimal latency with zero friction.A sequence diagram showing how FastEdge Triggers works under the hood A real-life use case: markdown to HTML at the edgeHere's a real-world example that shows how FastEdge Triggers can power multi-step content transformation without a single backend server.One customer wanted to serve Markdown-based documentation as styled HTML, without spinning up infrastructure. Using this FastEdge app written in Rust, they achieved just that.The app listens at three trigger points: on_request_headers, on_response_headers, and on_response_bodyIt detects requests for .md files and converts them on the flyThe HTML is served directly via CDN, no origin compute requiredYou can see it live here:README renderedTerraform docs renderedThis use case showcases FastEdge's ability to orchestrate multi-stage logic at the edge: ideal for serverless documentation, lightweight rendering, or content transformation pipelines.Ready to build smarter at the edge?FastEdge Triggers are available now for all FastEdge customers. If you're looking to modernize your edge logic, simplify architecture, and ship faster with fewer backend dependencies, FastEdge is built for you.Reach out to your account manager or contact us to activate FastEdge Triggers in your environment.Try Fastedge Triggers