Denial of Service: What is a DDoS Attack?

A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is a cybercriminal tactic designed to overload a server, network, or online service, making it unavailable to legitimate users. These attacks leverage a network of compromised devices, known as a botnet, to generate massive traffic with the goal of crashing the targeted system.

Unlike data breaches, DDoS attacks are not intended to steal information. Instead, they disrupt the normal operations of websites or online services, often resulting in significant financial and reputational damage.

Why DDoS Attacks Happen

DDoS attacks can be carried out for multiple reasons, including:

Extortion– Hackers may launch DDoS attacks and demand ransom (known as ransom DDoS) in exchange for stopping the assault.
Cyber warfare– State actors may target critical infrastructure, such as transportation or defense, to weaken an enemy nation.
Unfair competition– Businesses may commission attacks to cripple competitors and gain an advantage in the market.
Hacktivism– Digital activist groups may target government or institutional websites for political or ideological reasons.
Security testing– In some cases, simulated DDoS attacks are performed to test the resilience of IT systems against real threats.

Types of DDoS Attacks

DDoS attacks can target different layers of the OSI model, each with unique execution methods:

Application layer attacks (Layer 7)– Exploit vulnerabilities in web applications to disrupt their functionality. These are difficult to prevent but relatively easy to launch.
Protocol attacks (Layers 3 & 4)– Exploit weaknesses in communication protocols to exhaust system resources.
Volumetric attacks– Overwhelm a target’s bandwidth by flooding it with massive amounts of traffic from multiple sources.

How to Recognize a DDoS Attack

Early detection is crucial to minimize damage. Warning signs include:

Sudden slowdowns – Websites or services respond much slower than usual.
Service unavailability – Users cannot access the website or application for extended periods.
Unusual traffic spikes – Abnormal traffic levels with no clear cause.
Unstable connections – Frequent service interruptions or timeouts.

Monitoring network traffic and analyzing suspicious patterns are key to identifying an ongoing DDoS attack before it causes irreversible harm.

How to Prevent DDoS Attacks

Organizations can reduce the risk and impact of DDoS attacks by implementing robust cybersecurity strategies and mitigation tools, such as:

Cloud-based solutions – Always-on, high-capacity protection that filters malicious traffic while allowing legitimate requests through.
DDoS mitigation services – Specialized providers that can detect and block attacks within seconds using advanced monitoring and filtering technologies.
Cloud scrubbing – Keeps services operational by analyzing and filtering harmful traffic at scale during an attack.
CDN-based defense systems – Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) absorb and mitigate malicious traffic before it reaches the server.
Hybrid protection – Combines on-premise defenses with cloud-based mitigation for scalable protection against attacks of different sizes.
Cloud signaling – Automatically shares attack information with cloud mitigation centers, reducing response times and strengthening security.

By adopting these strategies, businesses can significantly reduce both the likelihood and the impact of DDoS attacks, ensuring operational continuity and safeguarding online services.

Cybersecurity: https://www.italgas.it/en/innovation/cyber-security/italgas-cyber-security/