DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service)

DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service, is a malicious cyberattack in which multiple compromised computers, known as “bots” or “zombies,” flood a target system or website with a massive volume of traffic. The goal is to overwhelm the target’s resources, such as servers or network bandwidth, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users.

DDoS attacks typically fall into three categories:

1. Volume-Based Attacks: These flood the target with a high volume of traffic, often using botnets, to exhaust network resources.
2. Protocol-Based Attacks: These exploit vulnerabilities in network protocols, consuming server resources and making the service unresponsive.
3. Application Layer Attacks: These target the application itself, overwhelming it with malicious requests, often difficult to differentiate from legitimate traffic.

DDoS attacks can disrupt online services, cause financial losses, and damage an organization’s reputation. A DDoS attack is like a group of people crowding the entry door of a shop, making it hard for legitimate customers to enter, thus disrupting trade and losing the business money.

To mitigate DDoS attacks, businesses employ various security measures like traffic filtering, load balancing, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to help distribute and absorb traffic. Additionally, monitoring tools and early threat detection can help defend against these cyber threats.