A DDoS attack—short for distributed denial-of-service attack—is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic from multiple sources. Unlike a standard DoS (denial-of-service) attack, which typically originates from a single source, a DDoS attack is distributed, meaning it uses a network of compromised computers or devices (often called a botnet) to generate the malicious traffic.
During a DDoS attack, the target is bombarded with so many requests that it becomes unable to respond to legitimate users, causing service disruption or complete unavailability. The devices used in these attacks—such as computers, servers, and IoT devices—are often infected with malware and controlled remotely without their owners’ knowledge.
DDoS attacks can have severe consequences, including financial losses, reputational damage, and operational disruption for businesses and organizations. They are on the rise and require robust mitigation strategies to defend against.