Say No to DDoS Cyber Attack

It is time to discuss a somewhat new but potentially dangerous nemesis to cyber security - DDoS attacks. If you haven't heard of them or aren't aware of what they can do, then keep reading this article.

An alarming rate in cyber crime

Cyber crime is evolving rapidly. While digital payment systems have enabled financial inclusion and transparency, they have also resulted in increased security threats and data breaches. As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 in recent years, hackers have been given a whole new playground.

It's no secret that everything in the online world changed so quickly that most of us were unprepared for it. Everything from work to education to grocery shopping to healthcare has gone completely online, all at once. Online businesses had to adapt their platforms to handle more online traffic than ever before. DDoS attacks have gained prominence recently as a form of cyber attack. Let's discuss what this is and how it is affecting Indian and worldwide businesses.

What do we mean by DDoS Attack?

A DDoS, or distributed denial of service, attack is a type of cyber attack in which a malicious actor seeks to make an online service or network unavailable by overwhelming it with internet traffic from multiple sources. DDoS attacks are often used as a means of political or ideological protest, or as a way to extort money from the target organization.

DDoS attacks usually involve flooding the target with so much traffic that it can no longer handle legitimate requests, resulting in a denial of service for legitimate users. In some cases, attackers may also modify the data being sent to the target, such as by sending malicious code that could cause the system to crash.

Extended downtime can result in significant revenue loss for your business and damage your client's trust if you fail to recognize the problem. If you don't know what caused the problem, you may think your website is simply offline. Let's assume you lack defense and recovery systems.Then, criminals may launch a modest DDoS attack on your system and threaten to launch a ransomware attack as a means of extorting money.

DDoS Statistics

DDoS threat intelligence from NetScout showed 9.7 million DDoS attacks were launched in 2021 alone by cyber criminals, a decrease of 3% from the previous year. Over the past decade, DDoS attacks have affected GitHub, Cloudflare, Amazon Web Services, and even Google. An analysis by security company Symantec of DDoS attack trends in 50 countries found that India accounts for 26% of DDoS traffic worldwide. Cyber security awareness and infrastructure are low in the country, which makes it a prime target for attacks.

Indian organizations are also casual about information security best practices, and their security budgets are limited, which makes India a target for DDoS service providers. It appears that local assaults involving financial blackmail have increased significantly, as have attacks aimed at distracting IT security teams while simultaneously attacking the target.

As more and more devices connect to the Internet, security experts predict that cybercriminals will take note. Mobile devices and Internet of Things (IoT) devices have also experienced an upsurge in DDoS attacks.In spite of the rise in the impact and severity of DDoS attacks, the cost of hiring a DDoS attack has decreased somewhat. For instance, so-called "booter" services may be purchased for as little as 300 rupees.

A DDoS attack can be launched on any target using this, which lasts only a few minutes. Despite the fact that booter services may seem small, they are frequently used by gamers to gain an advantage by booting their opponents out of multiplayer games. Some service providers even offer monthly payments to heavy booters.

Let us see how we can say, “No” to DDoS attacks.

Set a DDOs Plan - This allows you to launch a DDoS attack for just a few minutes on any target. Although booter services seem small, they are frequently used by gamers to gain an advantage by booting their competitors out of multiplayer games. For heavy booter users, some providers even charge monthly fees. Use anti-DDoS software. This type of software can help identify and block malicious traffic before it reaches your system.

Response strategies should be implemented by a team that is composed of members from various departments, such as the IT security team, engineers, and HR/PR professionals.

Bolster infrastructure and network security

To launch a DDoS attack on a firm, attackers often look for loopholes in the security systems. Keep your software and systems up to date. This includes your operating system, web server software, and any other applications you are running. Outdated software is one of the most common ways attackers gain access to systems.

You can prevent attackers from finding these openings by implementing strong network security measures. The goal of a DDoS attack is to find vulnerabilities in a company's security systems. Implementing the strongest network security procedures can help you ensure they can't discover those vulnerabilities.

Monitor your network traffic regularly

Unless you regularly monitor your network traffic and check for symptoms of a DDoS attack, you will not be able to respond in time. This type of attack causes a sudden rush of traffic. While the criminals wait for your system to go quiet, they may release a minor attack to see whether it goes unnoticed. Instruct your team to respond immediately if suspicious behavior is noticed. That should give you enough time to avoid a major incident of a DDoS attack.

DDoS attacks can be a huge problem for any business, but with the right security measures in place, you can minimize the risk of becoming a target. By understanding what DDoS is and how hackers use it to take down websites, as well as implementing some basic steps such as filtering traffic, using firewalls and creating back-up plans, businesses can protect themselves from these malicious attacks. Taking these steps will help keep your website safe and secure while giving customers peace of mind that their data is protected.

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