The 3 types of DoS attacks cyber criminals use and how to prevent them

What are Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks?

Cybercrime has grown to be a serious concern as technology is relied upon more and more in our life. One type of cybercrime that has recently gained popularity is the Denial of Service (DoS) attack. We’ll look at the many kinds of DoS attacks in this blog article to see how fraudsters block access to internet resources and cause disruption.

It is crucial to first comprehend what a DoS assault is. A DoS attack, as defined by Cloudflare [view source], occurs when a targeted system is overloaded with requests to the point where regular traffic cannot be processed, causing a denial-of-service to additional users. Cybercriminals use many different methods to launch DoS attacks, and these attacks can be put into several groups.

Volumetric Attack

A volumetric attack is the first category of DoS attack. These attacks employ techniques to produce enormous amounts of traffic in order to fully overwhelm a network [view source]. This includes DNS amplification attacks, ICMP floods, and UDP floods. A UDP flood occurs when an attacker bombards a target server with a lot of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets, causing it to become overloaded. An ICMP flood floods a network with Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets, and a DNS amplification assault floods the target server with traffic using open DNS resolvers.

Cybercriminals can accomplish this via controlling a botnet, or network of compromised machines. They can also employ additional strategies, like as spoofed-packet floods, to saturate the targeted resource with a lot of traffic [view source].

Application Layer Attack

Application Layer attacks, commonly referred to as L7 attacks, are the second kind of DoS attacks. Instead of attempting to overwhelm the entire network, these assaults concentrate on particular server-based applications or services [view source]. HTTP floods, Slowloris attacks, and SYN floods are a few examples of these assaults. An HTTP flood occurs when an attacker sends a lot of HTTP requests to a server, overloading it and making it unresponsive. A Slowloris attack maintains the connection open and prevents the server from processing additional requests by sending a lot of incomplete HTTP requests. A SYN flood bombards a server with a lot of SYN packets, making it unable to handle even normal requests.

The primary objective of this kind of attack is to take advantage of holes in the application or service layer of the targeted resource [view source]. The goal is to make the software or service unusable for authorized users by causing it to malfunction. Attackers can utilize strategies such as HTTP floods, Slowloris, and RUDY to eat up CPU and memory resources, making it challenging for the server to reply to valid requests [view source].

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are the third category of DoS attacks. These assaults are comparable to Volumetric and Application Layer attacks, but they involve many computers operating at once [view source]. By infecting lots of computers with malware and then remotely directing them to direct traffic toward the target server, a DDoS assault can be launched. Because the traffic originates from numerous sources, these attacks are far more difficult to counter than single-source DoS attacks.

The main goal of a DDoS attack is to significantly reduce the targeted resource’s ability to respond to requests.

How To Prevent Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks

In today’s vastly changing online world, businesses are more vulnerable to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. The more aware organizations are of these types of tactics, the less potential they have to severely damage an organization’s finances, security, and reputation.

But how can DoS assaults be stopped? Here are a few tips:

Employ a content delivery network (CDN): By dividing traffic among several servers, a CDN can assist reduce the effects of a DoS assault. Cybercriminals will find it more challenging to target a single server and cause it to become overloaded as a result.
Invest in DDoS defenses: A number of cloud service providers offer DDoS defenses that might lessen the effects of a DoS attack. Before harmful traffic reaches your website or online business, it can be detected and blocked.
Update your software regularly: Cybercriminals frequently use software flaws to perform denial-of-service attacks. Updating your software can aid in limiting the use of these vulnerabilities.
Employ secure passwords: Hackers may try many password combinations to access your website or online service. Passwords that are strong can help stop this from happening.
Perform regular risk assessments: By regularly conducting risk assessments, you can find IT system vulnerabilities and take action to fix them before cybercriminals can exploit them.

Let’s look at some further suggestions for keeping your business safe online now that we’ve covered some advice for combating DoS attacks:

Educate your staff members: They can serve as your first line of defense against online threats. Teach kids how to spot questionable emails and other online hazards and how to handle them. << SEE TRAINING SERVICES >>
Employ two-factor authentication: By requiring users to use a second form of authentication, such as a fingerprint or SMS code, two-factor authentication can offer an extra layer of security to your online accounts.
Backup your data: Doing so on a regular basis can help to lessen the impact of a cyberattack. You can restore your data from a backup in order to lessen the impact if your website or online service is attacked.
Monitor your network: Keeping an eye out for any unusual network behavior can help you detect and thwart intrusions before they cause too much damage.

DoS attacks can be a significant threat to businesses of all sizes. However, by taking steps to prevent them and keeping your business safe online, you can minimize the risk of a cyber attack and protect your organization from harm.

In today’s linked world, cyber security training is crucial for both individuals and organizations. By understanding the various methods cybercriminals use to attack businesses and organizations, you can ensure you obtain the knowledge and know-how to identify and prevent attacks.

Are You Prepared Against Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks On Your Organization?

Aumakua Technical Solutions, LLC. (ATS) is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), Minority-Owned, and Native Hawai’ian Owned Small Business based in Maryland.

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Aumakua Technical Solutions, LLC. was formed by a team of Veterans who have combined their knowledge and expertise in various skill-based and intelligence-based arenas to provide the best training and certification opportunities for cyber solutions, mobile technology, SIGINT, Operations, government and business.