Security Glossary: DDoS

HTTP Flood DDoS Attacks

HTTP Flood DDoS Attacks

An HTTP Flood DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is a type of cyberattack specifically targeting web servers or applications. It operates by utilizing HTTP GET or POST requests, standard methods used in the HTTP protocol for retrieving and submitting data. The insidious nature of this attack lies in its use of requests that appear legitimate, making it challenging to differentiate malicious traffic from regular user activity.

In an HTTP Flood attack, the attacker directs many seemingly legitimate requests towards a targeted server or application. The primary objective is to overwhelm the server with excessive requests, leading to a depletion of system resources. As a result, the server becomes overloaded and either responds very slowly or entirely unable to handle legitimate user requests, thereby denying service to intended users.

These flooding attacks are often executed with the help of a botnet. A botnet is a network of Internet-connected devices that have been infected with malware, such as a Trojan Horse, without the device owners’ knowledge. This malware allows the attacker to remotely control these devices, directing them to send a flood of HTTP requests to the target. The scale of these attacks can be massive, involving thousands or even millions of devices, amplifying the attack’s impact.

Using a botnet in an HTTP Flood DDoS attack complicates mitigation efforts. Since the requests are distributed across many devices with different IP addresses, blocking a single source is ineffective. Furthermore, the legitimate appearance of the HTTP requests means that standard security measures, which rely on detecting abnormal traffic patterns, may not quickly identify the attack.

Mitigation strategies for HTTP Flood attacks often involve advanced filtering techniques, rate limiting, and DDoS protection services. These services can help to distinguish between legitimate user traffic and malicious requests, thereby allowing the server to continue functioning generally while under attack.

In conclusion, an HTTP Flood DDoS attack significantly threatens web servers and applications. It leverages the power of a botnet to send overwhelming numbers of standard HTTP requests, thereby disrupting the targeted service. Effective mitigation requires sophisticated techniques to identify and manage malicious traffic.