A DDoS attack is the shortened form of a Distributed Denial of Service attack. Also known as a Distributed Network Attack, DDoS attacks exploit the physical limitations of a website’s server architecture such that the website doesn’t function and/or is totally inaccessible and broken.

This is one of the oldest and simplest forms of web attacks. The premise is simple – a server and its bandwidth connection can only handle so many unique requests per second. A DDoS attack is a malware-driven scenario where the malware lodges multiple, simultaneous, 100s of millions of attacks on a single server at once – usually shutting it down. Then, a hacker may demand a ransom reward to leave the site alone. Or, the goal may have been to undercut the website’s credibility and service to help its competition.

Any internet-based business providing services to its customers in real time is liable to DDoS attacks, particularly online shopping and casino websites.

DDoS attacks are often perpetrated by what are known as ‘zombie-networks.’ In this scenario the DDoS attack is lodged by a wide network of infected machines – all of whom are ‘awakened’ at the same time and start firing server requests to the targeted website.

DDoS attacks are also often used to provide cover to a deeper attack. In case a US financial services company was alerted to a DDoS attack on its public-facing website. As the company focused its attention on that problem, cyber thieves, having already broken into their networks, accessed the company’s online bank accounts and drained them.