Glossary
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
A DDoS attack is like thousands of people calling your business phone at the same time so real customers can't get through. Your website or service gets so overwhelmed with fake requests that it crashes or becomes too slow to use. The attackers aren't breaking in - they're just drowning you in traffic.
What is DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)?
A DDoS attack overwhelms a website or online service with traffic from multiple sources, making it unavailable to legitimate users. Attackers use networks of compromised computers (botnets) to generate massive amounts of traffic that the target system cannot handle.
Why Should You Care?
For businesses that rely on their website or online services, a DDoS attack means immediate revenue loss. E-commerce sites, SaaS companies, and any business with online operations can be taken offline. Attackers sometimes use DDoS as a distraction while conducting other attacks, or as extortion ("pay us or we'll keep attacking").
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Real-World Example
An e-commerce business was hit by a DDoS attack on Black Friday - their biggest sales day. The attack lasted 6 hours, taking their website completely offline. They lost an estimated $180,000 in sales and suffered reputation damage as frustrated customers went to competitors. The attacker had demanded $5,000 to stop - extortion the business refused to pay.
How to Protect Against DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
- 1.
Use a CDN with DDoS protection for your website
- 2.
Talk to your web host about their DDoS protection
- 3.
Have a plan for who to contact if an attack occurs
- 4.
Consider DDoS protection insurance for critical online services
- 5.
Set up monitoring alerts for traffic spikes
- 6.
Never pay DDoS extortion demands
Related Terms
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