DDoS attacks have been around for over two decades, and they continue to be a major threat to businesses and organizations of all sizes. DDoS attacks aim to disrupt the availability of online services by overwhelming their servers with a flood of traffic, rendering them inaccessible to legitimate users. As technology advances and attackers become more sophisticated, new methods of DDoS attacks are emerging, making it even more challenging to defend against them. In this article, we will explore some of the latest methods of DDoS attacks and provide guidance on how to defend against them.
1) IoT-Based DDoS Attacks
One of the newest and most concerning types of DDoS attacks is IoT-based DDoS attacks. IoT devices are connected to the internet and are vulnerable to attack if they are not secured correctly. These devices can be hijacked and used as part of a botnet, which can be used to launch a DDoS attack. Attackers can leverage these devices to generate a massive amount of traffic and overwhelm the target’s servers.
To defend against IoT-based DDoS attacks, it is crucial to ensure that IoT devices are secure and updated regularly. IoT devices should be segmented from the main network, and traffic from IoT devices should be monitored closely to identify any suspicious traffic patterns.
2) DNS Amplification Attacks
DNS Amplification attacks are not new, but they are becoming increasingly prevalent. In a DNS Amplification attack, attackers send small DNS queries to open DNS servers, which then respond with much larger responses. Attackers can amplify the traffic they generate by using open DNS servers, resulting in a DDoS attack.
To defend against DNS Amplification attacks, it is critical to secure open DNS servers and configure them to prevent them from being used in DNS Amplification attacks. Additionally, organizations can use DNS resolvers that have built-in protection against DNS Amplification attacks.
3) Application Layer Attacks
Application layer attacks, also known as Layer 7 attacks, are a type of DDoS attack that targets the application layer of a server, rather than the network layer. These attacks aim to exhaust server resources by sending legitimate-looking traffic to the server, which can result in high CPU utilization, low memory availability, and other issues.
To defend against Application Layer attacks, it is essential to use specialized tools and technologies that can detect and mitigate these attacks. For example, web application firewalls (WAFs) can be used to filter incoming traffic and block malicious requests.
4) SSL/TLS Attacks
SSL/TLS attacks, also known as HTTPS floods, are a type of DDoS attack that targets the SSL/TLS layer of a server. Attackers send a large number of SSL/TLS requests to the target server, which can cause the server to become overwhelmed and unresponsive.
To defend against SSL/TLS attacks, organizations can use SSL/TLS offloading to reduce the load on the server’s SSL/TLS processing capabilities. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and session termination policies can help prevent SSL/TLS attacks.
5) Low and Slow Attacks
Low and Slow attacks are a type of DDoS attack that aims to exploit vulnerabilities in the target server by slowly sending legitimate-looking requests to the server. These requests are designed to keep the server busy, preventing it from handling legitimate traffic.
To defend against Low and Slow attacks, it is essential to implement rate limiting policies that can identify and block requests that are sent at a low rate.
In conclusion, as technology evolves, attackers will continue to find new and creative ways to launch DDoS attacks. It is critical for organizations to remain vigilant and stay up-to-date with the latest DDoS attack methods and defense strategies.
