A DDOS attack is a common method for distributing the online services of a business. DDOS stands for distributed denial of service. Understanding what a DDOS attack is helps to provide the first step in protecting your business from these attacks or recognizing them when they occur. Here are a few important things that you need to know about DDOS attacks and how they can impact your business.
DDOS Attack or DOS Attack?
There are both DDOS attacks and DOS attacks. The main difference is that a DDOS attack is a type of DOS attack, but not all DOS attacks are DDOS attacks. A DDOS attack is different from other DOS attacks in that it uses multiple bots that form a group called a botnet. This botnet is then used to attack the target in an attempt to disrupt the website’s regular operations. Essentially, these DDOS attacks are intended to be a malicious attempt at making a website’s online services unavailable to its regular users. This is often done by suspending or interrupting the services of the website’s hosting server. This type of attack is launched from multiple compromised devices.
Three General Categories
There are three general categories that make up DDOS and DOS attacks alike. Each of these categories takes a different approach to the attack. However, they generally have the same goal of disrupting the operations of the website. There are volume based attacks, protocol attacks, and application layer attacks.
Volume Based Attacks
Volume based attacks include many common DDOS attacks, like UDP floods or ICMP floods. The goal of volume based attacks is essentially to saturate the bandwidth of the targeted site. The magnitude of volume based attacks is measured in a different way than the other two types of attacks. These attacks are measured in bits per second, commonly notated as Bps.
Protocol Attacks
Protocol attacks take a different approach than volume based attacks. These attacks include things like Smurf DDOS, Ping of Death, SYN floods, and fragmented packet attacks. Protocol attacks function by consuming the actual server resources of the website. This includes various things like the load balances or firewalls of the website. Protocol attacks are generally measured as packets per second, which is notated as Pps.
Application Layer Attacks
Application layer attacks take a more subtle, disguised approach to the attack. It includes types of attacks like GET/POST floods or low-and-slow attacks. The way application layer attacks work by attacking with a series of seemingly legitimate or otherwise innocent requests. The goal of this attack is to crash the web server by overloading it. These attacks are measured in requests per second, which is notated as Rps.
The Motivation Behind a DDOS Attack
Understanding the motivation behind DDOS attacks can help you to avoid them occurring. Sometimes, DDOS attacks are performed due to ideology. During these attacks, a “hacktivist” targets the website of a business that they disagree with the ideals of, such as when there is an ethical conflict with the company. Business feuds are another common reason for DDOS attacks. These attacks are particularly common on days that are important for internet sales for the company, such as Cyber Monday. Boredom can also be a reason that someone might attempt a DDOS attack. Extortion is another motivation. When extortion is the reason, it is likely that the company or individual will be threatened with a DDOS attack if they don’t comply with demands. Cyber warfare is another possible reason behind a DDOS attack.
Protecting your Company
Malicious sources are everywhere on the internet. When your company is impacted by these sources, such as phishing attacks, data breaches, or other issues, it can be devastating to your business. Taking a proactive approach to preventing these sources from accessing your data can go a long way toward protecting your company. There are many steps you can take, such as recognizing phishing attacks or securing your data.
Taking the steps to protect your company’s website and data will go a long way toward preventing substantial issues from arising to your company. Outsourcing your IT management can help to keep your information secure from potentially malicious sources. At Crossaction Computers, we strive to provide the services that are necessary to protect your business. To learn more about the various services that we offer and how they can protect your company, contact our experienced team at Crossaction Computers today!
