What type of attack does DDoS primarily involve?

DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service, primarily involves overwhelming a service with excessive traffic. This type of attack is executed by multiple compromised systems that flood a targeted server, service, or network with an overwhelming volume of requests. The goal is to exhaust the resources of the targeted system, rendering it unable to respond to legitimate user requests, and ultimately causing it to crash or become severely degraded in performance.

In the context of cybersecurity, understanding the nature of DDoS attacks is crucial for implementing effective defense strategies. These attacks are characterized by their focus on service availability rather than data theft or unauthorized access. When defending against such attacks, organizations often implement measures like rate-limiting, traffic filtering, and employing DDoS protection services to mitigate the impact.

By distinguishing DDoS attacks from other types of threats, such as stealing sensitive information, data interception, or unauthorized access, one can recognize the unique methods and consequences associated with this specific type of cyber assault.