Summary
DDoS attacks aim to overwhelm your server or network with bots, disrupting regular service and access from regular users. A way to look at is a sudden traffic jam that blocks all traffic on or off a highway. WAFs and rate limiting work to stop DDoS attacks while blackhole routing is to stop all traffic in case other methods fail.
What is a DDoS attack?
DDoS or a distributed denial-of-service is overwhelming a server or a network with malicious traffic. Hackers create a network of infected devices to target a business or service, in protest of them, for money or even for fun. A real world example of this phenomena is an unexpected traffic jam blocking exits and entrances of a highway. A hacker is able to send malware to devices making them into a bot that can be controlled remotely by the hacker. A group of bots is known as a botnet.
Types of DDoS attacks.
Volumetric attacks
Botnets overwhelm the target’s IP address which blocks regular user traffic. This method focuses on taking as much bandwidth as possible. This blocks actual users from the desired platform and prevents the victims servers from connecting to the larger internet.
Protocol attacks
A protocol attack focuses on consuming resources of the server rather than blocking them. The protocol attack is draining the server with different forms of requests till the server cannot function.
Application layer attacks
Application layer attacks are about using the website to attack and drain the server. Overwhelming the server with too many GET and POST requests at once.
How to counter DDoS attacks.
Rating limiting is limiting how many requests the server can do at a time. If hundreds or even thousands of requests are made within a minute, the server will not accept them. Web Application Firewall or WAF is a firewall that blocks traffic based on certain parameters. A WAF determines if the web traffic is safe before allowing it access. Blackhole routing is the last case scenario when it comes to countering a DDoS attack. Sending the botnet to a null route ensures that it’s rejected and the server doesn’t waste resources. However, this also blocks legitimate traffic as well if not properly done. These methods ensure that DDoS attacks will not affect your offered service.
Why your business should use Cloudflare.
Cloudflare offers built in DDoS protection which includes built in email and phone support that gives notices when an attack is occurring. Cloudflare has blocked some of the biggest DDoS attacks in history without disrupting normal service for the business. If a disruption does occur they will switch your server to ensure little to no downtime. Their goal is to provide as much protection as possible against DDoS attacks and are one of the best defense solutions for managing DDoS attacks.
Contact ProNet to help protect your website from DDoS attacks. (For more information)
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