Breach Alert

According to ZDNet, “DDoS attacks are one of the crudest forms of cyberattacks, but they’re also one of the most powerful and can be difficult to stop.” (zdnet.com, 2020) DDoS means Distributed Denial of Service. A DDoS attack is an incident where “attacker flood[s] the network or servers of the victim with a wave of internet traffic so big that their infrastructure is overwhelmed by the number of requests for access, slowing down services or taking them fully offline and preventing legitimate users from accessing the service at all.” (zdnet.com, 2020) Now while it’s true that DDoS attacks are described as being in the category of one of the least sophisticated types of cyber-attacks, there is still a significant amount of danger that they can do. DDoS attacks “also [have] the potential to be one of the most disruptive and most powerful by taking websites and digital services offline for significant periods of time that can range from seconds to even weeks at a time.” (zdnet.com, 2020)

How it Could Affect You

It’s the sneakiness of these types of attacks that enhance their risk to you, your employees, and your business. “DDoS attacks are carried out using a network of internet-connected machines – PCs, laptops, servers, Internet of Things devices – all controlled by the attacker. These could be anywhere and it’s unlikely the owners of the devices realize what they are being used for as they are likely to have been hijacked by hackers.” (zdnet.com, 2020)

“Common ways in which cybercriminals take control of machines include malware attacks and gaining access by using the default username and password the product is issued with – if the device has a password at all.” (zdnet.com, 2020)

“Once the attackers have breached the device, it becomes part of a botnet – a group of machines under their control. Botnets can be used for all manner of malicious activities, including distributing phishing emails, malware or ransomware, or in the case of a DDoS attack, as the source of a flood of internet traffic.” (zdnet.com, 2020)

Hodgson Can Help

Here at Hodgson Consulting & Solutions, we specialize in securing data and information loss prevention for companies with multiple locations and/or a remote workforce. We offer full solutions for your IT needs, not just Band-Aid fixes. Contact us to receive a FREE Cyber Security Risk Assessment and also learn more about our Managed Security Service Plans. Contact our office today at 847-906-5005.