Cyber Monday was the busiest day for the Internet in 2023

Cloudflare analyzed Internet traffic and e-commerce trends to provide insights into consumer behavior and cybersecurity threats during this peak shopping period.

Cyber Monday emerged as the clear winner in terms of global Internet traffic, followed closely by Black Friday. This trend was observed in most countries, with notable exceptions such as Germany and France, where Black Friday took the top spot.

Cloudflare's data revealed an interesting shift in device usage patterns during Cyber Week. On Black Friday, mobile usage reached 55.3%, surpassing the typical weekend trend, suggesting that consumers may be using their mobile devices to shop offline on that day. However, on Cyber Monday, desktop usage regained the lead, with mobile device traffic dropping to 47.6%. This shift suggests that consumers may be using their desktops for more extensive online shopping on Cyber Monday.

Cloudflare's analysis of e-commerce DNS traffic further highlighted the surge in online shopping activity during Cyber Week. DNS traffic to e-commerce sites peaked on Cyber Monday and Black Friday, mirroring the overall Internet traffic patterns.

While cyberattacks are a constant threat, Cloudflare observed a lower incidence of DDoS attacks during the Black Friday week in 2023 compared to previous years. However, there was a noticeable increase in attacks in the two weeks leading up to the most shopping-intense period, suggesting that attackers may be targeting early holiday promotions.

Key Takeaways

• Cyber Monday and Black Friday are the busiest days for Internet traffic globally.
• Mobile device usage is higher on Black Friday, while desktop usage dominates on Cyber Monday.
• E-commerce sites experience a significant increase in DNS traffic during Cyber Week.
• DDoS attacks may target early holiday promotions.