February 27, 2015

A ‘Distributed Denial of Service’ (DDoS) attack can be defined as an attempt made by the hackers to make a system unavailable to the users. This is usually accomplished by interrupting the functioning of the host network or a server to which the system is connected. Unlike a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, DDoS uses multiple remotely monitored computers to overpower the target system and making it unable to respond to the requests of legitimate users.

In a DDoS attack, the hacker begins by exploiting certain vulnerability in a particular computer. Using this, the attacker can easily identify and infect the other connected systems. These computers, also called as zombies or bots, are then directed to launch a flood attack towards the target systems.

Tips To Prevent DDoS Attacks

  • Buy More Bandwidth: This is one of the easiest techniques to ensure that you are protected against DDoS attacks. With this, you can easily distribute your traffic to different servers and create a lot of space to handle the persistently increasing users. Purchasing more bandwidth can allow you to handle more requests, thus, tackle low intensity outbreaks.
  • Restrict Connectivity: If you have multiple computers that directly connect to the internet, you must properly configure routers so as to restrict connectivity. For instance, if you need to receive some information from the client’s system, you can configure it to pass from some selected ports through the firewall.
  • Buy Intrusion Detection System (IDS): These are the software applications that are attached to the network in order to monitor all the malicious activities. If anything suspicious is detected, the IDS alerts the network administrator so that preventive measures can be taken well before time.
  • Encode Your Website Efficiently: If you have programmed your website in an efficient way, the botnets need to be more sophisticated to be successful in the attack. Thus, you must make sure that your web pages are properly encoded and involve minimum server requirements to load.

DDoS attacks are becoming increasingly common due to the vulnerabilities in most of the devices. Cyber criminals are finding it very easy to implement these attacks, particularly against small businesses. Following the above mentioned tips can help you to create a resistant web network that is capable of preventing or mitigating the effects of a DDoS attack.