A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is a type of cyber attack that is designed to overwhelm a website or network with traffic, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. In a DDoS attack, the attacker uses multiple compromised devices, known as a botnet, to flood the target website or network with traffic, making it difficult or impossible for legitimate users to access it.
The goal of a DDoS attack is to disrupt the normal functioning of the targeted website or network, causing it to slow down or crash. This can be achieved through various means, including sending large amounts of traffic to the target, overwhelming its servers, or exploiting vulnerabilities in its infrastructure.
DDoS attacks can be launched using a variety of techniques, including ICMP flood, UDP flood, and SYN flood. These attacks can be carried out using tools that are widely available on the internet, making it relatively easy for anyone with basic technical knowledge to launch a DDoS attack.
To protect against DDoS attacks, organizations can use various mitigation techniques, such as implementing firewalls, load balancers, and intrusion detection systems. Additionally, organizations can work with their internet service providers to filter out traffic from known sources of DDoS attacks.