DOS attack

DOS attack (denial of service attack) is a type of cyberattack which uses malicious traffic to overwhelm an organisation’s computer systems or networks, resulting in the disruption of operations or services. It involves flooding the target systems with more requests than the system can handle, often from multiple sources. The goal of a DOS attack is to render a system or network resources unavailable to its intended users by either crashing the system or filling up its bandwidth, thereby making it unusable.

A DOS attack may be conducted from a single computer or infected router, but is often performed from multiple computers or router networks that are connected to the targeted organisation’s network. This type of attack is particularly dangerous because it can be conducted anonymously, making it difficult to trace and difficult to defend against.

In addition to crashing or slowing down a targeted system or network, a DOS attack may also result in loss of data, financial costs, and other confidential information due to sudden and unexpected disruption or prevention of access. Some of the most common forms of DOS attacks include TCP/IP connection flooding, ICMP flooding, DNS flooding, and more.

In order to respond to these attacks, organisations must invest in cybersecurity solutions that provide insight into network activity and detect malicious traffic. These solutions should also include dedicated firewall protection, as well as measures for isolating and managing traffic related to the attack. By investing in robust security measures, organisations can protect their networks from DOS attacks and maintain digital operations.