CYBER SNIPPETS: DDoS: Understanding DDoS – How to Prevent and Mitigate DDoS Attacks

How to Prevent and Mitigate DDoS Attacks

Here are steps you can take to defend against and recover from a DDoS attack:

1. Restore Network Connections: DDoS attacks can disrupt Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing, causing connections to other networks to drop. It’s essential to re-establish those connections.

2. Contact Your ISP: If you’re facing overwhelming traffic, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might be able to block the malicious traffic, helping to mitigate the attack’s effects.

3. Restart Firewalls and Defensive Systems: A DDoS attack can overwhelm your firewall and other security systems, causing them to malfunction. Restarting them may help restore protection.

4. Gradually Reconnect Customers: After the attack subsides, a surge of legitimate customer traffic might follow. Slowly reintroducing these connections can prevent a secondary DDoS-like event.

5. Analyse the Attack: It’s crucial to examine the attack’s details to understand the methods and tools used by the attacker. This can help you better prepare for future threats.

6. Identify System Weaknesses: Conduct a thorough review of your infrastructure to pinpoint any vulnerabilities that could have been exploited during the attack.

7. Evaluate Your DDoS Protection Strategy: Assess whether your current DDoS protection measures were effective and if there are areas for improvement in your defence plan.

Conclusion

DDoS attacks are a serious and growing threat to businesses worldwide. By understanding how these attacks work and implementing strong defence strategies, you can protect your network, minimize the risk of downtime, and ensure your systems are resilient to future attacks.