Written by: Akamai Security Intelligence Response Team Executive summary \r\n \r\n Over the past week, Akamai Security Researchers have detected and analyzed a series of TCP reflection attacks, peaking at 11 Gbps at 1.5 Mpps, that were leveled against Akamai customers. \r\n \r\n The attack, amplified with a technique called TCP Middlebox Reflection, abuses vulnerable firewalls and content filtering systems to reflect and amplify TCP traffic to a victim machine, creating a powerful DDoS attack.  \r\n \r\n Middleboxes range from nation-state censors, such as the Great Firewall of China, to corporate enterprise content filtering systems, and can be found globally. \r\n \r\n The novel technique was presented in theory last August by researchers from the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado; however, this is the first we’re seeing it live and in the wild.…