What is a DDoS Attack?

A Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack is a cyberattack in which multiple compromised systems flood a target system, server, or network with excessive traffic, making it unavailable to legitimate users.

How a DDoS Attack Works:

• Botnet Formation: Attackers infect multiple devices with malware to control them remotely.
• Target Selection: A specific server or network is chosen as the victim.
• Massive Traffic Surge: The botnet floods the target with fake requests.
• Service Disruption: The target slows down or crashes.

Types of DDoS Attacks:

• Volume-Based Attacks: Overwhelm bandwidth (e.g., UDP Flood, ICMP Flood).
• Protocol Attacks: Exploit network protocol weaknesses (e.g., SYN Flood, Ping of Death).
• Application Layer Attacks: Target specific services (e.g., HTTP Flood, Slowloris).

Effects of a DDoS Attack:

• Downtime: Websites and services become slow or unavailable.
• Financial Loss: Businesses lose revenue.
• Reputation Damage: Customers lose trust.
• Security Risks: Attackers may use DDoS as a distraction.

Prevention and Mitigation:

• Use firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
• Implement rate limiting to control traffic.
• Use CDNs to distribute network loads.
• Monitor traffic with DDoS protection services (e.g., Cloudflare, AWS Shield).
• Employ network redundancy to balance loads.