DDoS attacks - what they are, how they work, and how to stay protected

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. It’s a type of cybersecurity threat where multiple compromised computers or devices—often part of a botnet—flood a target with excessive traffic until it becomes slow or completely unusable. Understanding DDoS attacks is an important part of maintaining strong cybersecurity and protecting online systems from disruption.

A DDoS attack overwhelms a server, website, or online service with fake traffic. Unlike a single-source DoS attack, DDoS uses many devices at once, making it harder to stop. The goal is to make the target inaccessible to legitimate users.

A DoS (Denial of Service) attack comes from a single machine or network connection. A DDoS, by contrast, uses thousands or millions of devices spread worldwide. This makes DDoS attacks far more powerful and difficult to block.

Extremely common. Businesses and organizations face DDoS attacks daily, with millions occurring globally each year. Cloudflare and Google report that attack sizes continue to grow, with some reaching record-breaking traffic volumes in 2023.

Common signs include very slow load times, sudden spikes in traffic from unusual sources, complete unavailability of services, or repeated disconnections for users. IT teams may also notice unusual patterns in network logs.

Many DDoS attacks rely on compromised IoT devices, such as webcams, routers, and smart appliances, that have weak or outdated security. Once hijacked, these devices can be added to massive botnets used to launch powerful DDoS campaigns. Using a secure connection with Intego VPN helps protect IoT devices from being exposed to attackers by encrypting network traffic and masking your IP address.

Yes. Small businesses and personal sites are frequent targets, often because attackers assume they lack protection. Even a small DDoS can take a site offline for hours, causing financial loss or reputational harm.

DDoS is a global problem, but countries with high internet usage and large businesses, such as the U.S., China, and European nations, tend to be hit most frequently. However, developing regions are increasingly targeted as internet adoption grows.

Choose a hosting provider with built-in DDoS protection, configure firewalls, and ensure your site can scale to manage sudden traffic spikes. Keeping your own devices secure is equally important—malware infections can turn them into part of a botnet used in DDoS campaigns. Intego Antivirus helps prevent this by detecting and blocking malicious software that could compromise your system and contribute to online attacks.

High-profile cases include the 2020 attacks on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, record-breaking botnet traffic mitigated by Cloudflare in 2023, and ongoing campaigns targeting gaming platforms. Each example shows how DDoS has become larger and more frequent.