Detecting and addressing network attacks

A service provider network detection architecture, comprising:

• monitoring tools to collect data and statistics relevant to infrastructure elements of the service provider network and determine if the service provider network may be under an attack;
• a data store coupled to the service provider network detection architecture and comprising data on protected inbound communication signal traffic;
• a differentiator to access the data store and determine if the protected inbound communication signal traffic is affected by the attack;
• a router or switch to separate the protected inbound communication signal traffic from unprotected inbound communication signal traffic;
• and
• a cleaning center to receive and separate the protected inbound communication signal traffic between attacking traffic and legitimate traffic.

A method for reducing an amount of communications traffic from being dropped in a service provider network due to a malicious attack, the method comprising:

• monitoring network resource usage via network elements, wherein the network elements comprise at least one of a processor, a communication signal pathway, a port, and a router;
• carrying communication signal traffic in a communications network, wherein the communication signal traffic comprises one of an emergency traffic signal and a traffic signal directed to a detection and mitigation protection service subscribing customer;
• and
• based on the network resource usage, if a malicious attack is indicated, then performing the following for each signal of the communication signal traffic;
• accessing a data store for data relating to the detection and mitigation protection service subscribing customer;
• based on the data, determining if the communication signal traffic is directed to the detection and mitigation protection service subscribing customer;
• and
• based on the determination, cleaning each communication signal directed to the detection and mitigation protection service subscribing customer.