Hackers and their cyber-criminal activities are still a trend on the rise, and the crime rates are rapidly increasing. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) is a current form of cyber-attack specifically designed to disrupt the network services of critical systems.
A massive DDoS attack can cause your security systems to respond too late. Such an incident can cause your business to run into a standstill or shut down your web presence for several hours. As a result, your business could lose out on several amounts of revenue quickly, among other losses.
Distributed Denial of Service attacks has already caused several businesses immeasurable losses. Even so, the trend still looks to be one that will be around for a long time. A report from Verisign in their Verisign Q2 2018 DDoS Trends Report, indicated that the average DDoS peak-attack size had amplified by over 25% in 2018 alone. On that note, businesses must stay informed with the latest security updates as no business can afford to remain unguarded.
For a clearer picture of the question, let us try to define the subject more comprehensively before we move on to discuss the most effective security measures.
What is a DDoS Attack?
A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is characteristically targeted at critical systems. Usually, the attack is aimed at disrupting the network service. Consequently, the attack can result in a denial of service for the users of the affected resource/network(s).
DDoS attacks usually employ the processing authority of multiple computers that are malware-infected. From there, the infected systems can be used to target a single target-system.
To protect your business against DDoS assaults, you must first understand the most rudimentary forms of DDoS attacks.
Types of DDoS Attacks
Volumetric DDoS Attacks
A characteristic feature of the most common DDoS attacks is the overloading of the target machine’s bandwidth with false data requests on every available open port. The increscent overloading causes the system to automatically check and recheck the malicious data requests continually so that it is too busy to attend to any legitimate traffic.
The most common mediums for volumetric assaults include ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) floods and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) floods.
Application-Layer DDoS Attacks
The OSI (Open System Interconnection) network model features an application layer. Typically, it is the topmost layer of the network that is closest to the user and receives the most interaction between the user and the system. This kind of setup makes it lucrative for direct web-traffic-targeted attacks that utilize the application layer. The most vulnerable avenues for attack include HTTPS, HTTP, SMTP, and DNS.
Unlike most other forms of attack, application-layer attacks thrive just as comfortably with a smaller number of machines or a single one, in fact. This distinguishing advantage makes it more challenging to track down the attack source as there are usually fewer leads to follow.
Protocol DDoS Attacks
The primary objective of the protocol attack is to damage as many connection tables as possible. Network areas dealing directly with connection verifications are the ideal target for this purpose.
The method of attack is quite simple. The attacking computer successively sends in partial packets, deliberately malformed pings, and slow pings that will eventually generate memory buffers in the target. This breach will go on to cause multiple errors that can ultimately crash the target system.
A protocol attack is sufficiently capable of targeting firewalls as well. Because of this, firewalls alone cannot offer adequate protection against DDoS attacks.
While one of these attacks alone can be a lot of trouble, most hackers typically combine all three (and more) approaches on target systems. This way, they can assault their victims on multiple fronts. A move like that would give them the ability to overwhelm their victim’s defenses completely (at least until more solid and superior countermeasures are deployed).
How to Resist a DDoS Attack With Superior Counter Techniques
Since its onset, DDoS attacks have continued to evolve rapidly, and there are no signs of slowing any time soon. The most popular forms of attack include the hybrid or blended approach.
Traffic profiling systems are an excellent way to set up your security systems for early threat detection. If not, it would be impossible to know when you’re under attack. Chances are, you will only catch wind of the threat after your websites/systems slow to a halt or crashes without any prior notice.
To stay guarded and keep your business from suffering tremendous losses from one of these attacks, you need to develop a solid battle plan. Also, you must equip your security systems with adequate anti-DDoS assault solutions and employ an integrated security stratagem to defend all your infrastructure levels.
Here are some robust measures you can take to resist different forms of DDoS attacks effectively.
Create a Denial of Service Response Plan
Integrate the services of a rigid security assessment to develop a DDoS resistance plan. Larger companies would need to equip more complex security infrastructure as well as the services of multiple teams in planning against DDoS attacks.
The critical elements for this strategy include:
- Create a response team. Create a team and define specific responsibilities for strategic team members to ensure an organized reaction to attacks as they come.
- Optimize your Systems checklist. Create a comprehensive list of assets to implement advanced threat identification. Also, ensure that your filtering tools, assessment, as well as security-enhanced software-level and hardware-level protection are in place.
- Integrate a list of internal and external contacts. Inform specific contacts about attacks and threats (keep them in the know). Also, develop adequate communication strategies with your customers, security vendors, cloud service providers, and any other relevant affiliate(s).
- Define notification and escalation procedures. Ensure that members of your security team know who to contact precisely in the event of an attack.
Optimize Your Network Infrastructure’s Security
Multi-level protection strategies are the best way to go. Installations like Threat Management Systems, Advanced Intrusion Prevention are an excellent combo to work with. Also, the integration of security systems that combine anti-spam, load balancing, firewalls and other sophisticated DDoS defense mechanisms, can offer tremendous resistance.
Practice Basic Network Security
User errors constitute one of the most lucrative avenues which hackers exploit to create security breaches. As such, the most basic countermeasure is to ensure the most minimal user error as possible. Ensure that all your staff maintains high levels of routine security practice. Little efforts like this can keep your business from being attacked by DDoS assaults.
Employ more complex passwords and change them frequently. Integrate the use of secure firewalls, anti-phishing methods, etc. to allow very minimal outside traffic. These, together with a combination of other practices, are a critical security foundation to guard against DDoS attacks.
Maintain a Rigid Network Architecture
A firm and secure network architecture is the backbone of any company’s security setup against attacks. Also, multiple network resources are an excellent fit. If one server experiences an attack, the others can quickly attend to the additional network traffic.
Leverage Cloud Security Potentials
The Cloud allows you to outsource DDoS prevention resources. This move also offers several advantages. The Cloud has more bandwidth; it also provides more resources compared to what the private networks can offer.
One significant advantage the Cloud offers is the fact that it is a diffuse resource. Because of this, it can absorb malicious and harmful traffic before they reach their intended target. Hybrid environments offer a great balance between security and flexibility.
Attend to Warning Signs Early On
Most businesses take the small warning signs too lightly. Meanwhile, with DDoS attacks, they may be all you ever get before a complete system or network failure occurs in the near future.
It is essential to take the little warning signs seriously and make necessary adjustments as they come.
Some of the most popular warning signs include:
- Network slowdown
- Spotty connectivity on your intranet
- Prolonged delay in performance
- Intermittent website shutdowns, etc.
Leverage DDoS-as-a-Service
The focal advantage of this model is its ability to create custom security architecture to address the security challenges (including DDoS) of any company regardless of its size.
Also, the service ensures that all the security installations meet compliance requirements and are of the highest standards. The service is ideal for companies that combine third-party and in-house resources; it provides better flexibility.
Conclusion:
DDoS attacks are a principal security challenge to several businesses. If adequate security measures are not employed to resist the assault, it could cause severe losses to the target company(s). Companies are always advised to use the services of top security agencies to protect themselves from cyber criminals. The tips and guides offered in this post can help you maintain high-level resistance against DDoS and other current forms of cybercriminal attacks and keep your business protected all year round.
You may also like to read:
Author’s Bio:
Thomas Lore is a 23-year old writer. He is also a creative and diligent freelance blogger, who is always seeking for new ways to improve himself. Thomas is very versatile and he wants to reach the tops with his writing skills.