What does DDoS stand for in cybersecurity?

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. This term refers to a type of cyberattack where multiple compromised systems, often infected with a Trojan, are used to target a single system, such as a website or server. The intent is to overwhelm the target with a flood of traffic, rendering it unable to respond to legitimate requests and thus causing disruption of service.

The "distributed" aspect highlights that the attack originates from multiple sources, which makes it more challenging to defend against compared to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack that typically comes from a single source. This distributed nature also complicates the identification of the attack's source, as the traffic is often coming from a variety of locations across the internet.

Understanding DDoS attacks is crucial for cybersecurity professionals, as these attacks can have significant implications for organizations, often leading to loss of business and damage to reputation.