Understanding the Basics of DDoS Attacks

A DDoS attack occurs when multiple compromised computer systems attack a target, such as a server, website, or network resource, causing a denial of service for legitimate users. Unlike traditional denial of service attacks that originate from a single source, DDoS attacks leverage hundreds or thousands of infected devices to overwhelm the target with traffic.

The distributed nature of these attacks makes them particularly difficult to defend against. Attackers coordinate armies of compromised devices, known as botnets, to flood targets with more traffic than they can handle. This tsunami of requests exhausts the target's resources, making it impossible for legitimate users to access the service.

Think of a DDoS attack like a crowd of people blocking the entrance to a store. Even though the store is open and functioning normally inside, customers can't get through the door. Similarly, during a DDoS attack, your website might be working perfectly, but users can't reach it because all the "entrances" are blocked by malicious traffic.