DDoS: what it is and how to protect your network against this type of cyber attack

Currently, with the advancement of technology, businesses are increasingly active on the internet and with a growing flow of information. The biggest challenge faced in the business world – and one that is noticed on a global scale – is related to the security and protection of networks and data. This article will focus on network attacks, specifically Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. This cyber-attacks occur on many networks on the internet, and this article will provide information about the best solutions to protect and keep your network secure. Keep reading to learn more.

Behind every cybercrime, there is a purpose that often causes irreparable damage and losses to a company or system connected to the network that suffered such an attack. DDoS attacks aim to overload servers to render their services unavailable to network users. The DDoS attack happens in the following steps: first, servers are overloaded with fake traffic; then, network resources such as memory and processing start to gradually deplete, and finally, the network becomes unavailable, and users can no longer access it.

To carry out this type of crime, a large volume of attackers needs to be operating on this network, sending access requests until servers or internet pages are taken down. The execution of these network attacks is carried out by botnets, programmed by hackers and infecting systems with a high demand for false requests and massive accesses so that services can be taken offline. The consequences of this action can be harmful because they result in the loss of important information and interruption of network services.

Below are 5 types of DDoS attacks, how they are carried out, and how they can harm connected networks or systems:

1. DNS Amplification: The attacker sends a large number of DNS queries to valid servers using the victim’s IP as the source. All traffic returns directly to the target without its consent, ultimately saturating the network.

2. UDP Flood: This attack overloads the network with a large volume of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets, distributing a huge volume of information sent quickly, leaving the server much slower, and even causing oscillations in the network.

3. NTP Flood: In this type of attack, valid but false packets are sent. A large group of IP addresses sends requests, and since the IP addresses appear authentic, the host keeps trying to respond to the requests, causing systems to continually restart until they fall or are taken down.

4. SYN Flood: This occurs in exchanges between clients, hosts, and servers. The attack occurs through false IPs, and the constant repetition of this process generates a flow of information that is so large that the system cannot store and analyze the packets received. With this demand on the server, internet user access is interrupted.

5. VoIP Flood: This attack also aims to prevent the use of the network but by sending false requests originating from different IPs to harm VoIP services. False requests are mixed with legitimate requests, compromising the entire network access infrastructure.

What are the damages caused by DDoS attacks?

DDoS attacks can cause damages and losses for activities that require continuous internet access, such as internet and telecom providers, for example. Among the generated damages, we can highlight:

• Unavailable network;
• Affects essential online services;
• Increase in complaints and support tickets;
• Increase in cancellations;
• Consequent revenue loss, etc.

As we can see above, the damages are not only related to access and unavailability of network services, but also to real and direct interference in the company’s activities that need to be interrupted, generating customer dissatisfaction and significantly affecting the company’s financial situation. That is why effective actions need to be implemented in companies to minimize network risks and promote the protection of data and information in case of cyber attacks.

What is the best solution for your business?

UPX is a reference in DDoS protection in US and Brazil, has a specialized team in developing solutions for protecting your network infrastructure, which offers the following investment advantages:

• Network diagnosis for DDoS mitigation to minimize attack risks;
• Route optimization to make traffic more effective;
• Block attacks in up to 05 seconds to prevent server overload, and
• Customization in mitigation processes with an intuitive and automated system.

UPX has thought of a complete solution for your company, and in addition to network security solutions, it offers prompt and Portuguese-language customer service with free network security consulting services. The DDoS Defense management panel, in addition to being intuitive, includes other functions such as monitoring ASNs and XDR (Extended Detection and Response).

Now that you know where to find the best market solution to promote the protection of your network infrastructure, contact us, get to know our platform, and invest in the security of your business.