What does the acronym DDoS stand for?

The acronym DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. This term refers to a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal functioning of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of Internet traffic from multiple sources. In a DDoS attack, the traffic originates from a multitude of compromised systems, often organized as a botnet, which amplifies the attack's impact and makes it difficult for the target to fend off the traffic.

Understanding DDoS attacks is crucial for cybersecurity professionals because they pose significant threats to the availability of services. Prevention and mitigation strategies often involve identifying normal traffic patterns, implementing rate limiting, and using network security appliances designed to detect and filter out malicious traffic. Overall, recognizing the implications of a DDoS attack is essential for safeguarding network infrastructures.