What is DoS Denial of Service attack?
A denial of service (DoS) attack is an attempt to deny a user from accessing the available computer resources and services. It can be targeted towards a single system or a group of systems. In the event that a great number of systems are attacked, it’s called a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS).
Whereas the motives and means of carrying out the attacks are varied, the primary goal is to deny legitimate users from accessing information, resources and services.
A denial of service attack is typically carried out by an individual or group of individuals who deliberately prevent a computer system from functioning properly using various means. They usually target Internet Sites or services being hosted on reputable web servers. Common sites and services prone to attack are banks; DNS root name servers and online payment gateways.
Perpetrators of DoS attacks use various means and methods to carry out their acts. There are typically two means of attack, the wired and wireless means. Wired means of attacks are usually carried out on wired networks whereas the wireless means of attack is carried on wireless networks.
The methods of attack range from attacks on electronic mail to attacks on routing devices and the web.
There are generally five basic types of attacks:
- Interference with the physical network connections
- Using up a commuters resources, like disk space and band width.
- Disrupting system configuration
- Disrupting and obstructing communication channels between users of a system.
- Interfering with state information
A denial of service attack (DoS) or DDos can manifest itself in various ways. One of the most common signs is slow network performance usually caused by “flooding” the network. You can notice this in the time taken to open a file or access a website. A website might also become unavailable or difficult to access. You email might abruptly start receiving huge amounts of spam. However, the above signs might as well be due to other reasons not associated with a denial of service (DoS) attack. A network problem might be a result of faulty hardware or system/software upgrade by the system administrators.
If you think that you are experiencing a denial of service (DoS) attack, seek technical advice or assistance. In any case, report the incident to your system administrator or ISP provider.
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