A Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS attack) is a targeted attack on a server, service, or network with the aim of disabling these systems. The attacker uses many different computers or devices to overwhelm the systems with a flood of data traffic. These devices are often hijacked by malware and combined into a so-called botnet. Once the botnet is activated, the infected devices simultaneously send requests to the target system.
The goal of the DDoS attack is to render the server or website unusable by overloading the available memory or bandwidth. This prevents legitimate users from accessing the services. Often, these are malicious actions by hackers who may act for various reasons: from revenge to extortion or political activism.
Difference from a DoS attack
A DDoS attack is an advanced form of a Denial of Service attack (DoS). In a DoS attack, only a single computer or internet connection attacks the target system. While a DoS attack can also crash a system, its impact is often less devastating due to the attacker’s limited resources. Nevertheless, well-executed DoS attacks can cause significant damage.
However, DDoS attacks are more dangerous because they generate a much higher load due to the large number of devices involved. This makes it more difficult to find and defend against the origin of the attack.
Protection against DDoS attacks
Companies employ special protective measures such as firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and cloud-based services to protect themselves against DDoS attacks. These systems detect unusual data traffic and block malicious requests before they reach the target system. Constant monitoring of network traffic is also an important measure to respond early to potential attacks.
