A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack encompasses multiple computers sending large amounts of traffic around a website or server, causing it to slow down or crash, making it unavailable to real users.
A DDoS attack is a serious threat. Many businesses, including well-known companies like Amazon and Google, fall victim to these attacks yearly. To protect your business, it is important to understand DDoS attacks and how they can impact your operations.
What is a Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS)?
A distributed denial of service attack is a cyberattack. It is designed to disable a server, service, or network by flooding it with excessive internet traffic. This overload disrupts normal operations, causing the target system to slow down or become unavailable to legitimate users.
The principal goal of a DDoS attack is to make an online service unavailable by overwhelming it with more traffic than it can handle. This attack typically involves multiple computer systems, often infected with malware, that are used to generate the large volume of traffic needed to disrupt the target service.
In Q3 2023, major tech companies such as AWS, Google, and Cloudflare suffered the largest DDoS attacks ever. What was particularly surprising about these attacks was that the botnets (networks of infected devices controlled remotely) used were smaller than usual but still managed to generate huge amounts of internet traffic. While these botnets were not as large as those used in the past, they were incredibly effective, causing record-breaking disruptions.
What is DoS Attack
A denial of service (DoS) attack is a type of cyber attack in which an mugger attempts to make a website or online deal unavailable to users. They do this by overwhelming the system with so many applications or data that it cannot handle everything, causing it to slow down or even crash. Imagine you are using a website, but it is so overrun with fake visitors that you cannot access it – that is what a DoS attack does. Unlike regular technical problems, a DoS attack is intentional and designed to disrupt normal operations, causing serious problems for internet services.
Difference between DoS and DDoS
DoS and DDoS attempt to destroy a website, service, or network, rendering it unusable. However, they differ in how they are implemented and the extent of their impact.
|
DoS |
DDos |
|
|
Full Form |
Denial of Service attack. |
Distributed Denial of Service attack. |
|
Number of Sources |
Single computer or device. |
Multiple devices or computers (often part of a botnet). |
|
Attack Method |
Overloads the target with data from one source. |
Overwhelms the target with data from multiple sources. |
|
Speed of Attack |
Usually slower. |
Faster and more intense. |
|
Ease of Blocking |
Easier to block since it’s from one source. |
Harder to block because it comes from many sources. |
|
Traceability |
Easier to dash the source of the attack. |
Harder to trace because many devices are involved. |
|
Tools Used |
Uses one device with DoS tools to attack. |
Uses many devices or bots to attack simultaneously. |
|
Types of Attack |
Buffer Overflow Attacks Ping of Death Teardrop Attack Flooding Attack |
Volumetric Attacks Fragmentation Attacks Application Layer Attacks Protocol Attacks |
Here’s a more detailed understanding of DDoS vs DoS.
How They Work:
- DoS Attack: A DoS attack is launched from a single computer or network. The attacker sends an overload of data or requests to the target to overwhelm it. This can cause the website or service to slow down or even clatter, making it difficult or impossible for real users to access.
- DDoS Attack: A DDoS attack, on the other hand, is much larger in scope. Instead of a single source, the attack comes from multiple computers or devices, often scattered across different parts of the world. These devices are often part of a “botnet” — a group of infected computers controlled by the attacker. The attacker can defeat the target effectively by sending large amounts of traffic to multiple sources simultaneously.
Impact and Damage:
- DoS attack: Since a DoS attack only comes from one location, it can still cause problems but is usually easy to detect and stop. The effect may be limited to temporary disruption.
- DDoS attack: A DDoS attack is very destructive. Since it involves many devices working together, it can generate large amounts of traffic, making it difficult to prevent. It can cause significant downtime for a website or service, leading to user frustration and potential financial losses for the business.
Defence and Prevention:
- DoS Attack: Defending against a DoS attack is often easy because once the source of the attack is identified, it can be blocked or disabled. However, the attack can still cause damage before it can be stopped.
- DDoS Attack: Defending against a DDoS attack is very difficult. Since the attack comes from many sources, blocking it without affecting legitimate users is difficult. Special tools and techniques are required to filter out spiteful traffic while allowing legitimate users to access the service.
Types of DDoS Attacks
Volumetric Attacks:
These attacks hide the target by dumping large amounts of traffic or data. This is like sending a new phone so many messages it cannot handle. The goal is to fill the network’s bandwidth or capacity, so legitimate users cannot access the service. Common examples include UDP flooding, which transmits large packets of data, and ICMP flooding, which uses ping requests to overload the network.
Fragmentation Attacks:
Data is broken into smaller pieces in a fragmentation attack and sent to the target. The target must reassemble these components, and if there are too many of them or they are not managed well, this can cause the system to slow down or crash. It is like dividing a puzzle into smaller pieces to make it harder for the target to put it back together. Examples include TCP fragmentation attacks, which fragment data into pieces that exceed the target’s ability to reassemble it correctly.
Application Layer Attacks:
These attacks focus on specific websites or online service parts, such as a login page or search function. The attacker sends multiple requests that consume the server’s resources, making it impossible for them to monitor real user requests. This is similar to sending so many requests to a website that it can no longer respond to normal users. Examples include HTTP flooding, which sends multiple web requests, and Slowloris attacks, which cause connections to server resources to become blocked.
Protocol Attacks:
Protocol attacks exploit weaknesses in network protocols, which are the rules that help devices communicate. These attacks can disable or destroy network devices by sending specially crafted packets that exploit these vulnerabilities. Imagine tricking a system into doing more work by violating its communication rules. Examples include SYN floods, which overwhelm network devices by sending many open connections, and Ping of Death attacks, which send malformed packets that cause systems to crash.
How does a DDoS attack work?
A DDoS attack involves multiple devices working together to overwhelm and disrupt a target’s online service. Here’s a step-by-step look at how it works:
Building the Botnet
The first step in a DDoS attack is to create a network of infected devices. These devices, including computers, smartphones, and smart gadgets, are infected with malware. This malware allows the attacker to control them remotely. The infected devices are called bots or zombies; their collection is called a botnet.
Preparing the Attack
Once the botnet is created, the attacker sends instructions to each bot in the network. These instructions tell the bots what actions to take and when to send requests. The goal is to attract a large amount of traffic to the target.
Launching the Attack
Each bot sends many requests to the target server or network at a certain time. This can include anything from simple pings to complex data requests. The large number of applications overloads the target, which can origin it to slow down significantly or crash completely.
Overwhelming the Target
The target server or network is overloaded with botnet requests. Since the requests come from many different devices, it is difficult to distinguish user traffic from attack traffic. This makes it difficult for the target to block malicious applications while allowing legitimate ones.
Disrupting Service
When a server or network is overwhelmed by a huge traffic volume, it cannot serve regular users. This results in a denial of service for regular traffic, meaning legitimate users cannot access the website or internet service.
How to Protect Yourself from DDoS Attacks?
DDoS protection involves several strategies to ensure the security and functionality of your internet services. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you protect yourself:
Use a Strong Firewall
A firewall acts as a barrier between your network and incoming traffic. A reliable firewall can help filter out malicious applications before they reach your server. Ensure your firewall is properly configured to detect and block suspicious traffic patterns.
Implement Rate Limiting
Rate limiting controls the number of requests that can be sent to your server within a certain period of time. Limiting the number of requirements a user can make can reduce the impact of a DDoS attack and prevent your server from becoming overloaded.
Deploy DDoS Protection Services
There are specialized DDoS protection services that can absorb and reduce attack traffic. These services redirect traffic through their network, where malicious applications are filtered before they reach your server. Consider using these services for additional security.
Monitor Network Traffic
Regularly monitoring your network traffic can help you identify unusual patterns or bands that may indicate a DDoS attack. Implement web monitoring tools that alert you to mistrustful activity so you can take action quickly.
Scale Resources
Increasing your resources means increasing the power of your server to handle higher volumes of traffic. Cloud services allow you to quickly configure resources to handle the flow of traffic, which can help your server resist a DDoS attack.
Maintain a Response Plan
Create a DDoS response plan. This plan should include steps to identify an attack, mitigate its impact, and communicate with your team and users. Update and review this plan regularly to ensure you are prepared.
Conclusion
DDoS attacks are a somber threat that can impact any online service by overwhelming traffic from multiple sources. To protect your business, it is important to understand how these attacks work and implement effective security measures. Using tools such as firewalls, rate limiting, and specialized DDoS protection services can greatly enhance your protection.
