Key Takeaways
- DDoS floods a server with traffic to knock it offline.
- It uses Botnets (hacked devices) to attack from everywhere.
- Layer 7 attacks mimic real users and are harder to stop.
- Protection requires filtering traffic via a CDN like Cloudflare.
Imagine a store so crowded with fake customers that real shoppers can't get in. That is essentially a DDoS attack on a website.
Definition
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) is a cyber-attack where the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users by disrupting services of a host connected to the Internet.
It is "Distributed" because the attack comes from many different sources simultaneously, often a Botnet (a network of infected computers hijacked by the attacker).
Types of DDoS Attacks
- Volumetric Attacks: The goal is to saturate the bandwidth of the target. Example: UDP Floods.
- Protocol Attacks: These consume server resources (like firewalls or load balancers) rather than bandwidth. Example: SYN Flood.
- Application Layer Attacks (Layer 7): The most sophisticated. They target the actual web server by mimicking real user behavior, like refreshing a heavy page thousands of times.
Who is at risk?
Anyone with a public IP address. While huge attacks target banks and governments, gamers and small business owners are frequently targeted by smaller "booter" services to knock them offline.
How to Protect Yourself
For individuals, the best protection is to hide your IP address. If an attacker doesn't know your IP, they can't target you. Using a proxy or VPN is effective.
For website owners, using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) like Cloudflare sends traffic through their massive network first, which can absorb the attack before it hits your server.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are there infected devices on your network?
Check Botnet Status