What application-layer DDoS means for us today
As security experts around the world are painfully aware, DDoS, or distributed denial of service, is a
cyberattack that tries to make a website or network resource unavailable by flooding it with malicious
traffic so that it is unable to operate. DDoS attacks are still the most popular attack technique used by threat actors and have been on the rise in the last five years.
For instance, one of the most recent large attacks (in terms of packets per second [PPS]) peaked at 809
MPPS in about two minutes.
A trend we’ve seen in this rise of attacks is more instances of application-layer DDoS attacks. Also
known as Layer 7 DDoS, these attacks target and disrupt specific web applications (not entire networks).
So while difficult for defenders to prevent and mitigate, high adoption of technology like automation
and cloud services has given attackers easy access to the tools required to launch these attacks, making it
easier than ever to compromise the application-layer.
The reality is, the requests used in this type of attack look like normal end-user requests, so there’s no easy way to gauge the sophistication of an attack. The efficiency of affecting both the targeted server and
the network means an attack creates more damage with less total bandwidth. In summary, application layer attacks are easy to implement, hard to slow down or stop, and specific to a target.
In order to understand how application-layer DDoS attacks are uniquely affecting our organizations, we need to know how DDoS attacks affect us across all categories. Consider the categories of DDoS attacks like the pitfalls of a party.
For example, you might open your home to a few guests to celebrate a special occasion or have fun on the weekend. However, a few scenarios can occur:
In all these scenarios, there is a common vulnerability — you have opened your home for an
event. This is the unavoidable vulnerability that application-layer DDoS attacks take advantage of
because it is the layer in which your organization interacts with the user. Additionally, because this
is a layer you have less control over as it serves users directly, it can be harder to mitigate
application-layer DDoS attacks.
Plus, if any of these problems occur, it’s going to cost you extra. Whether it’s dealing with the expense
of more food and drink being consumed, strangers finding out personal information about you, or the
fallout of an attack on your home, a party gone wrong is expensive.
Many security solutions increasingly promise to protect your systems, resources, and sensitive
information from application-layer DDoS attacks, which are now more common and one of the most
difficult to defend against. You’ve given them trust to protect what you have to offer. So in the end,
your DDoS protections are only as good as the platform you lend your protections to. Let’s look
at the latest changes and trends to be aware of as you search for your application-layer DDoS
protection platform of choice.
Download & read the complete whitepaper below 👇👇👇
