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WHAT IS A DDOS ATTACK?

As distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks continue to make headlines, we see companies asking the same questions: What is a DDoS attack? Learn how DDoS attacks can affect your business and how FreeYourID can help prevent or mitigate an attack.


In a world that is growing constantly more interconnected and complex, it can be difficult for companies to anticipate the next attack or malicious activity. While many companies assume that a rogue attacker will never target them, the need to protect any network from this kind of disruption has never been greater.

HOW DDOS ATTACKS OCCUR

  • Your Website
    Your Website
    Web Server
    Typical targets include Web servers. DNS servers, application servers, routers, firewalls and Internet Bandwidth.
  • Normal Traffic
    Normal Traffic
    Web Server
    Website User
    Users easily access your products and services.
  • Intent to Disrupt
    Intent to Disrupt
    Web Server
    Website User
    Hacker
    A rogue attacker can target a web server with the intent to disrupt service.
  • Botnet
    Botnet
    Web Server
    Website User
    Hacker
    Botnet
    This attacker uses multiple hosts (such as compromised PCs that are part of a "botnet") to carry out and amplify the attack.
  • DDOS Attack
    DDOS Attack
    Web Server
    Website User
    Hacker
    Botnet
    Attackers usually create the denial of service condition by either consuming server bandwidth or by impairing the server itself.
  • DDOS Attack
    DDOS Attack
    Web Server
    Website User
    Hacker
    Botnet
    The attack involves saturating the target machine with requests, such that it cannot respond to legitimate traffic, or responds so slowly as to be rendered effectively unavailable.

A denial of service (DoS) attack occurs when traffic is sent from one host to another computer with the intent of disrupting an online application or service. A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack occurs when multiple hosts (such as compromised PCs that are part of a “botnet”) are used to carry out and amplify an attack. Attackers usually create the denial-of-service condition by either consuming server bandwidth or impairing the server itself. Typical targets include Web servers, DNS servers, application servers, routers, firewalls and Internet bandwidth.

Even though DDoS attacks have been around for more than a decade, the scale and frequency of these attacks are increasing faster than the capacity of most organizations to absorb them. As companies do more and more business online, DDoS attacks can result in severe financial losses and lost productivity.

GROWING NEED FOR DDOS PROTECTION

A recent FreeYourID survey of IT decision makers revealed some alarming results:

  • 63 percent of respondents had experienced at least one DDoS attack in the past year
  • Of those attacked, 11 percent had been hit six or more times
  • 67 percent said that downtime of any kind affected their customers
  • 51 percent reported lost revenue from any downtime

DDoS attacks are real and can have devastating effects on many businesses, particularly in terms of their brand reputation, customer relationships and bottom line. Given the extraordinary and rapid changes in DDoS attacks, traditional DDoS mitigation tactics such as bandwidth over-provisioning, firewalls and intrusion prevention system devices are no longer sufficient to protect an organization’s networks, applications and services.

HOW FreeYourID CAN HELP

FreeYourID DDoS Protection Services uses a proprietary filtering technology to stop a DDoS attack in the cloud before it reaches a customer’s network. Using a diverse set of hardware solutions and mitigation techniques, FreeYourID offers a comprehensive solution to protect your network from DDoS threats.

Contact us to learn more about FreeYourID’s authority in Internet security and how we can protect your network



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Learn how FreeYourID’s DDoS Protection Services can protect your business’s network from DDoS attacks.

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