The modern web is riddled with hazards, but distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are among the most damaging. A determined effort to block or prevent access to websites or other digital resources is involved in these all-too-common situations. When the phrase “distributed” is used, it signifies that the assault is spread across multiple devices, making it even more difficult to avoid or neutralise.
DDoS attacks are on the rise, unfortunately. The first quarter of 2021 saw historic DDoS levels, according to Netscout’s Atlas Security Engineering & Response Team (ASERT): 2.9 million total attacks, with over 900,000 each month. If the current rate of DDoS attacks continues, the 10 million milestones set in 2020 will be easily surpassed. The rate of attacks is likely to increase in 2021, as the first quarter is traditionally the slowest in terms of DDoS activity.
While the magnitude of attacks has stayed fairly stable in recent years, new tactics allow for speedier entry, making situations significantly more difficult to manage. As a result, organisations must arm themselves with good prevention and mitigation techniques now more than ever. Keep in mind that attackers are increasingly targeting small businesses, and it only takes a tiny amount of damage to generate long-term problems for many of them.
The sooner you learn how to defend against DDoS attacks, the better. To assist you, we’ve listed some common signs and symptoms, as well as some strategies for keeping your server secure:
Top Signs of DDoS Attacks
Given the high costs of DDoS attacks, it’s no wonder that these disasters are difficult to detect. This exacerbates the situation over time, as targeted businesses may take a long time to respond. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms of a DDoS attack to limit the damage:
Network performance is slower than usual. Slow speeds when accessing websites or opening files are one of the key indicators that a DDoS attack is underway. This prevents corporate executives and staff from accessing critical resources, while also making networks less trustworthy in the eyes of consumers.
Websites are not accessible. During DDoS attacks, a common complaint is that websites are unavailable. An HTTP flood, a type of DDoS that unleashes a chain of botnets known as a “zombie army,” might cause this difficulty. The detection and mitigation of these assaults are notoriously challenging. Regardless matter the reason, website downtime is a major issue that costs businesses a lot of money.
Search engine optimization issues (SEO). Due to overcrowding, unavailability can result in 502 bad gateway failures. As a result, search engine rankings and general marketing efforts suffer.
Spam emails have become more common. Spam can be a problem at any time, but it can spike dramatically during a DDoS attack. Hackers frequently employ phishing emails to carry out attacks, with email bombs being a popular method for overwhelming inboxes and masking fraudulent activity. As a result, it’s never a good idea to believe that a significant spike in spam is due to chance.
Other forms of attacks appear suddenly. DDoS can occur in conjunction with other hostile behaviour. Attacks can be planned, but they can also happen if security efforts are solely focused on DDoS mitigation and there are gaps elsewhere. Ransomware assaults, in particular, pose additional dangers to DDoS’s already destructive potential. DDoS is frequently used by criminals to confuse victims when staging ransomware assaults. Others threaten victims with DDoS attacks if they do not pay hefty ransoms.
Strategies for Preventing DDoS Attacks
DDoS prevention requires a more proactive approach than ever before as attackers become more sophisticated. At this time, security measures that appear to be extensive on the part of the business may only be the bare minimum of protection. Even so, limiting exposure to the worst assaults is doable with a comprehensive, layered approach. The following are some of the most efficient DDoS attack prevention techniques:
Monitor Web Traffic
A DDoS attack can be identified by sudden fluctuations in online traffic. However, without active monitoring, it may be impossible to determine when these transitions occur and how they affect specific companies. It’s crucial to understand traffic patterns since they’ll help you figure out whether abrupt increases are due to predictable events (like seasonal online shopping trends) or if they cause concern.
Choose the Right Hosting Provider
DDoS danger is determined in part by which hosting providers are used. Dedicated servers are generally a better choice because they often come with built-in DDoS protection. Keep in mind that while a dedicated server with DDoS protection can lessen the likelihood of an attack, it cannot ensure that threats will not occur. Choose a hosting company that is open and honest about the DDoS protection solutions available and how they function.
Implement Rapid Deploy Servers
Virtual hosting solutions have both advantages and disadvantages; while they may be set up fairly rapidly, they can also have severe security constraints. Rapid deploy servers offer a good compromise, with quick deployment and essential features like built-in scanners and a native hosting API.
Use a Content Delivery Network
A content delivery network (CDN) is a collection of servers that are globally spread. These can deliver material to end-users regardless of their location from the server where it originated. While many businesses prefer CDNs for their capacity to speed up web content delivery, security is also a significant benefit.
CDNs provide a widely distributed infrastructure, absorbing a large portion of the possible attack volume and freeing up much-needed resources. These may not be the best option for preventing denial of service attacks, but they can help with mitigation and damage limitation.
Back Up Important Data
While backups will not prevent DDoS attacks, they will help to mitigate the damage if one occurs. Backups ensure that if files become inaccessible or web resources go down, a speedy restoration is possible. These are frequently stored on several servers so that a secure and reliable location for storing vital files is always available.
The digital world is always developing, which means that DDoS is more of a threat than ever before. Even yet, with a basic understanding of how to avoid DDoS attacks – as well as a little extra planning and the necessary resources – a wide range of dangers may be fended off. Any effort put into preventing and mitigating DDoS attacks will pay off in the end, so don’t overlook this security requirement.
Author Bio
ReliableSite is a hosting company that provides dedicated server solutions to suit a wide range of requirements. ReliableSite servers deliver minimal latency, strong security, and 24/7 customer technical assistance from four data centres across the United States.
