Description: Flooding is a type of cyber attack in which an overwhelming amount of traffic is sent to a network or server, causing it to slow down or crash. This phenomenon occurs when an attacker uses multiple sources to flood a specific target with data, saturating its processing capacity and generating a denial of service. Flooding attacks can take various forms, such as sending excessive data packets or massive HTTP requests, or even using botnets, which are networks of compromised devices that work together to carry out the attack. Flooding not only affects the availability of online services but can also compromise network integrity and data security. In the context of network security, it is crucial to implement protective measures against these attacks, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and specific DDoS mitigation solutions, to safeguard infrastructure and ensure service continuity.
History: Flooding attacks began to be a significant issue in the 1990s with the growth of the Internet. One of the first documented attacks was the ‘SYN Flood’ attack in 1996, which exploited how operating systems handle TCP connections. As technology advanced, so did the attack techniques, leading to more sophisticated methods such as ‘UDP Flood’ and ‘HTTP Flood’ attacks. With the increase in connectivity and reliance on online services, flooding has become one of the most common and devastating threats in the field of cybersecurity.
Uses: Flooding attacks are primarily used to disrupt the operation of online services, such as websites, applications, and networks. Attackers may employ these techniques to extort companies, forcing them to pay ransoms to avoid service disruption. Additionally, flooding attacks can be used as a distraction to carry out other malicious activities, such as data theft or infiltration into critical systems.
Examples: A notable example of a flooding attack was the DDoS attack against GitHub in 2018, which peaked at 1.35 Tbps, using a technique called ‘memcached amplification’. Another case is the attack on the telecommunications company Dyn in 2016, which affected major platforms like Twitter and Netflix, demonstrating the devastating impact these attacks can have on Internet infrastructure.
