What is a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack?

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What is a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack?

A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the regular functioning of a network, service, or website by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic. This attack is carried out by multiple compromised computers or devices, known as a botnet, which are controlled by the attacker. The massive influx of traffic from the botnet overwhelms the target system's resources, causing it to become slow, unresponsive, or even crash. The goal of a DDoS attack is to disrupt the availability of the targeted system, rather than gaining unauthorized access or stealing information.