What is a DDoS Attack?
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack consists of multiple compromised devices or systems (often qualifying as botnets) attacking a target on a given network, such as a server or website, causing a denial-of-service error. This attack results in users being unable to access a network or website, while leaving IT and security teams scrambling to restore operations.
What Happens During a DDoS Attack?
To launch a DDoS attack on a network, threat actors typically utilize malware to exploit vulnerabilities within a system or device. Once they’ve gained control of enough devices, they direct the exploited devices to send traffic to the target network or website until it becomes overloaded and is knocked offline.
Keep in mind that a DDoS attack not only takes down one organization — it can also bring down sites and services that rely on that system.
What Are Common Types of DDoS Attacks?
- Volumetric attacks which overwhelm bandwidth and network traffic
- Protocol attacks which exploit weaknesses in network protocols and infrastructure
- Application layer attacks which target the application layer of a given network
What Are Some Notable DDoS Attacks?
DDoS attacks are extremely popular and can be difficult to mitigate. According to Cloudflare, the company states it mitigated a record number of DDoS attacks in 2024, recording a massive 358% year-over-year jump and a 198% quarter-over-quarter increase. Cloudflare stated it mitigated a total of 21.3 million DDoS attacks in 2024.
Notable DDoS attacks in 2025 include:
- A vulnerability within NetScaler appliances, causing devices to enter a denial of service condition
- Private and public Dutch organizations being targeted in a coordinated DDoS campaign by Russian hacktivists
- Social media site X experienced outages after an attack by Dark Storm hacktivist group
- Video game developers DayZ and Arma experienced network outages due to an ongoing DDoS campaign
DDoS Attacks and IoT Devices
While DDoS attacks have traditionally gone after websites and networks, Internet of Things (IoT) devices are also a major target. That’s because IoT devices are connected to the internet and company networks but are rarely built and configured with the same level of IT security scrutiny as other attack surfaces.
As a result, IoT devices make it relatively easy for threat actors to launch an effective DDoS attack. Because IoT devices are used to run machinery, monitor performance, and improve operations, DDoS attacks on such devices can significantly impact the operations of employees and customers alike.
How Do You Prevent a DDoS Attack?
For IT leaders, DDoS attack prevention requires a layered strategy that combines technology, process, and preparedness.
- Leverage a DDoS Protection Service
- Implement Rate Limiting and Traffic Filtering
- Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs)
- Use Redundancy and Load Balancing
- Harden Network Infrastructure and security
- Maintain Scalable Bandwidth
- Establish an Incident Response (IR) Plan
- Monitor and Analyze Traffic in Real Time
- Partner with a Managed Detection and Response Provider
No single control can fully eliminate the risk of a DDoS attack. Instead, DDoS attack mitigation strategies and overall cyber resilience come from layered defenses, proactive monitoring, and a well-tested response strategy. By investing in both technology and preparedness, IT leaders can ensure their organizations stay online, maintain customer trust, and minimize business disruption.
Learn how Arctic Wolf offers end-to-end protection to reduce organizations cyber risk and help prevent attacks like DDoS attacks.
Explore cyber threats in detail, as well as recommended prevention measures, with the 2025 Arctic Wolf Threat Report.
