Diving Into the Dark Depths: Demystifying DDoS and DoS Attacks
What is Dos and DDoS?
DoS and DDoS are both types of cyberattacks that aim to disrupt the normal operation of a website or online service. They do this by overwhelming the target system with traffic, making it unavailable to legitimate users.
DoS (Denial-of-Service): A DoS attack originates from a single source. The attacker floods the target system with traffic, typically from a single computer. This traffic can be anything from meaningless requests to data packets, overloading the system’s resources and preventing it from responding to legitimate users.
DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service): A DDoS attack is essentially a stronger and more complex version of a DoS attack. Instead of a single source, the attack traffic comes from multiple compromised computers or devices spread across different locations. These compromised devices, often infected with malware, are called botnets. The attacker controls the botnet and directs it to bombard the target system with traffic, making it much harder to defend against compared to a DoS attack.
DoS Attacks: Features and Attack Vectors
DoS Attacks aim to disrupt a system’s normal operation by overwhelming it with traffic. Let’s explore their features and how attackers exploit them step-by-step.
DoS Attack Features:
Resource Exhaustion: DoS attacks target a system’s limited resources like CPU, memory, or network bandwidth. By overloading these resources, legitimate users are denied service.
Simple Implementation: DoS attacks often exploit basic network functionalities, making them relatively easy to launch with readily available tools.
Varied Techniques: DoS attacks come in various forms, making them adaptable to different targets and vulnerabilities.
Attack Vectors :
Reconnaissance: The attacker gathers information about the target system, such as its IP address, operating system, and potential vulnerabilities. This helps them choose the most effective attack method.
Exploitation: The attacker leverages a vulnerability in the target system or network. This could be a bug in a service, a misconfiguration, or a weakness in a protocol.
Traffic Generation: The attacker uses tools or scripts to generate a large volume of traffic towards the target system. Here are some common techniques:
Flooding Attacks: Sending overwhelming amounts of useless data packets or requests.
Examples: SYN floods, Ping of Death (PoD) attacks.
Protocol Attacks: Exploiting weaknesses in network protocols to disrupt communication.
Examples: Smurf Attacks, Teardrop Attacks.
Application-Layer Attacks: Targeting specific vulnerabilities in applications or services.
Examples: HTTP GET floods, Slowloris attacks.
DDoS Attacks: Features and Attack Vectors
DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attacks are a more sophisticated version of DoS attacks, leveraging a distributed network of compromised devices to overwhelm the target. Let’s delve into their features and how attackers exploit them step-by-step.
DDoS Attack Features:
Distributed Attack Source: Unlike DoS, DDoS attacks originate from a vast network of compromised computers (botnets) controlled by the attacker.
High Volume and Complexity: DDoS attacks can generate much larger volumes of traffic compared to DoS, making them more difficult to defend against. Attackers often combine different attack vectors for increased impact.
Difficulty in Tracing: Due to the distributed nature of the attack, pinpointing the source can be challenging.
Attack Vectors :
Preparation: The attacker recruits a botnet by infecting a large number of devices with malware. These devices become the attacker’s puppets for the attack.
Command and Control: The attacker establishes a communication channel with the botnet, allowing them to send commands and control the infected devices remotely.
Target Selection: The attacker identifies the target system and gathers information about its vulnerabilities.
Attack Launch: The attacker instructs the botnet to bombard the target system with traffic using various techniques:
Flooding Attacks: Similar to DoS, overwhelming the target with useless data packets or requests.
Protocol Attacks: Exploiting weaknesses in network protocols for amplified attacks.
Example: DNS amplification attacks leverage vulnerable DNS servers to redirect large volumes of traffic towards the target.
Application-Layer Attacks: Targeting specific vulnerabilities in applications or services.
DDoS attacks can target various infrastructures like websites, online services, and critical infrastructure.The effectiveness depends on the botnet size, the target’s capacity, and the attack’s complexity.
Mitigating DDoS attacks involves robust security measures, traffic filtering, DDoS protection services, and potential collaboration with internet service providers (ISPs).
Defense in Depth Against D-DoS Attacks
Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) offer a powerful defense against DDoS and DoS attacks. They work by filtering traffic at different layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, providing a multi-layered security approach.
A web application firewall, or WAF, is a security tool for monitoring, filtering and blocking incoming and outgoing data packets from a web application or website. WAFs can be host-based, network-based or cloud-based and are typically deployed through reverse proxies and placed in front of an application or website (or multiple apps and sites).
Here are three different types of WAF deployments:
Cloud-based WAFs: These are delivered as a service, so you don’t need to install any hardware or software on your own. This makes them a good option for businesses that don’t have a lot of IT resources.
On-premises WAFs: Installed directly on your own servers, these WAFs offer more control and customization. However, they also require more IT expertise to manage.
Hybrid WAFs: As the name suggests, these combine cloud-based and on-premises deployments. This can be a good option for businesses that need the flexibility of the cloud along with the control of an on-premises solution.
Hedgus is Web Application Threat Protection Cloud WAF-as-a-Service.
Hedgus Cloud WAF offers DDoS protection :
Layer 3 (Network Layer):
Focus: Mitigate volumetric attacks that target network bandwidth and infrastructure.
Rate Limiting: Defines limits on the number of requests per IP address, preventing traffic floods.
Geo-fencing: Restricts access based on geographical location, blocking suspicious traffic from unusual regions.
Layer 4 (Transport Layer):
Focus: Block attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in transport protocols like TCP and UDP.
SYN Cookie Protection: Mitigates SYN flood attacks by validating legitimate connections without consuming server resources.
Rate Limiting by Port: Enforces connection limits on specific ports commonly targeted in DDoS attacks.
Layer 7 (Application Layer):
Focus: Detect and block application-specific attacks that target website functionalities.
Signature-Based Detection: Identifies and blocks known DDoS attack patterns.
Anomaly Detection: Analyzes traffic patterns for suspicious behavior and blocks potential threats.
In conclusion, D-DoS attacks pose a significant threat, and understanding their features and attack vectors is crucial for organizations to build robust defenses and maintain service availability and WAFs are a common and effective solution against D-DoS attacks.
