According to Hue, the appliances had the ability to detect where the attack is coming from and with the right configuration, automatically block the attack traffic.

"It is also vital that organisations take a proactive step into ensuring that the proper logging is configured in all security devices, so that in the event of an attack, the log data can be examined and handed over to law enforcement agencies," he says.

IBM's Burns says that two areas need to be addressed within organisations to combat possible hacktivism attacks.

The first is to implement a security awareness program. "Education and awareness of security threats throughout any organisation is key to minimising threats and reducing risk," he says. According to Burns, the security policies need to come from C-level executives and be distributed throughout the organisation.

"The policies should also include shareholders and directors of the company, as these attacks can sometimes target individuals," he says.