A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is a cyberattack that overloads a website or server with more traffic than it can handle. DDoS attacks have become more common and sophisticated in recent years. A DDoS attack can be launched against any kind of network, website, or server. When this happens, the site or server becomes inaccessible to regular users as it attempts to respond to the high volumes of requests at once.
A DDoS attack can have serious consequences for businesses and other organizations. The downtime produced by an attack can cost companies lost revenue, customers, and reputation. The best way to prevent a DDoS attack is by understanding how they work and taking preventive measures against them. In this blog post, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about DDoS attacks and how you can prevent one as well as what mitigation services are available if one occurs.
A denial-of-service attack is a cyberattack targeting a computer system that disrupts its ability to function by flooding it with millions of pieces of malicious code from different sources at the same time. People often refer to DDoS attacks as “digital” blackouts. The sudden surge of traffic flooding a site or server can cause that computer system to shut down and go offline for a period of time. There are many different types of DDoS attacks, each with a different approach to shutting down a system. Some simply overload the system with too much traffic. Others may attempt to overload the system with fake traffic. And still, others try to overwhelm an internet connection with too much data. Each type of attack has different signs that can help you identify a potential attack ahead of time.
How to Detect a Potential DDoS Attack Coming
Increased network traffic: If your network traffic is unusually high or if you notice an increase in network traffic, you may be experiencing a DDoS attack. You may see this traffic on your router or firewall. You can also check your network’s bandwidth usage. If your bandwidth is at or above 90%, there’s a good chance that someone is attempting a DDoS attack.
Performance issues: If your website or server is experiencing issues, it could be the result of a DDoS attack. You may notice slow page load times or trouble connecting to your data. The first step in detecting a DDoS attack is to check your network traffic. If it’s high, you should look for signs that someone is attempting to attack your network.
Outages: If your company goes offline for any period of time, there may be an attack occurring.
Unusual internet activity: If you notice strange activity on the internet, such as IP addresses that are scanning your network, it could indicate an attack.
How to Prevent a DDoS Attack
Secure your network: The first thing you should do to prevent a DDoS attack is to secure your network. This includes updating your network’s firewall and router and encrypting sensitive data. You should also segment your network to prevent a single attack from affecting your entire company.
Use a DDoS mitigation service: If you’re experiencing a DDoS attack that you can’t control, you can use a DDoS mitigation service. These services will help you to filter out harmful traffic.
Stay up to date on industry news: Keeping up to date on recent cyberattacks and news articles about DDoS attacks can help you to identify attacks before they affect you.
Plan for downtime: If you know that you’re likely to be targeted by a DDoS attack, plan for the downtime. This can be helpful for two reasons. First, it will help prevent you from being surprised by the attack. Second, it will give you time to implement a defense strategy before the attack takes place.
Report attacks to law enforcement: If you have reason to believe that an attack is being carried out by a criminal, it’s important to report it to the authorities. This can help you to reduce your risk of being attacked in the future.
Learn about ways to protect your business from or mitigate a cyberattack here.
