Table of Contents
What is a DDoS attack and how does it work
A DDOS attack is where a group of people collaborate to use up all the bandwidth or resources of a server. They do this by flooding the server with an overwhelming amount of requests for webpages, or even just by sending a request to a particular webpage at the same time. Even if the site doesn’t have a fatal error, it can take seconds for the server to respond and so the request floods in.
Being able to do this might seem like an offensive tool that could be used against an enemy, but the original purpose was actually for protection, or at least for one particular user. When we think about DDoS Protection there are two main types: DDoS attack mitigation and DDoS attack detection.
DDoS attack mitigation basically involves the protection of your network from being attacked. This is usually handled at the network or service level, and will be dealt with in other Webcasts and Articles, such as this series on Cyber Security. One way to do this is by DDoS protection which can help to reduce the impact of an attack; this will be discussed in more detail in a future article (link to: ‘Protection’, below). DDoS attack detection usually involves the protection of a specific IP address or range of IP addresses from being attacked, although it could be other services as well.
In this series we are going to cover the basics of DDoS attack mitigation and DDoS attack detection.
How long do DDoS attacks usually last
The average duration of a DDoS attack is between a few minutes up to a few hours. It all depends on how effective the attackers are. The longer the attack lasts, the better for the attackers. They will have more time to plan and organize themselves and do more damage. The longer the attack lasts, the harder it is to stop.
It is important to remember that a DDoS attack is a contest. It is not simply a test of how much power you can give to the attack. It is designed to make the target fall over, or at least weaken their defenses and make it easier for the attackers to take over the network. For example if you have 25 servers on your network and these servers are used for web server, database server, mail server etc. then if you have a DDoS attack for example against your web server, then it will make the other servers loose on network traffic, and it will overload these other servers with traffic [from the web server].
If the attack lasts for a long time, then you may have problems on your network. If the problem is a security hole on your network or some other vulnerabilities, then it is not likely that this problem can be fixed by just disabling the IP and/or hostname of the computers that are under attack.
What are some of the consequences of a DDoS attack
A DDOS attack can do a lot of damage if it lasts for a long period of time. Aside from the servers crashing, clients may be unable to use the service. In some cases, the server or network used in the attack is severely damaged and may not be able to be restored. The more people involved in the attack, the more damage is done.
The following are some of the consequences of a DDoS attack:
Damage to the Network and its users.
Downtime and reduced functionality.
Routing problems, network congestion, and lost packets.
These are just a few of the potential problems you may suffer. Note that with DDOS attacks not everyone who participated in the attack knows what they are doing or why they chose to participate in the attack. They are often hactivist who participate in DDOS attacks because they want to see if they can.
How can you protect yourself from a DDoS attack
There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from a DDOS attack. The first thing you can do is to have your network administrator monitor the servers of your company. There are certain protocols and tools that they can use to monitor and detect any suspicious activity. You may also want them to install some sort of security software that will be able to protect the company from any threats on the web.
The other thing you can do is to hire a company that will be able to monitor the web traffic and identify any suspicious activity. There are many companies that will be able to perform this monitoring task. One of these companies that you may want to consider is SecureNet . They are network security experts and they provide many services that could help prevent a DDOS attack from taking place.
You may also want to have a firewall installed to protect the company’s network. You will want the firewall to be monitored and to detect any malicious attacks through the network. A firewall can be installed on your network. One of these firewalls that you may want to consider is from commercial companies such as [www.RANGE-ISP.com] . The technical team at [www.RANGE-ISP.com] can also carry out firewall monitoring so that the network does not become vulnerable to a DDOS attack.
