DrDoS cyber attack analysis

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are a variant of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and aim to disable a server, a service, or an infrastructure.

This type of attack can be carried out through different means:

1. By saturating the server's bandwidth to make it inaccessible.

2. By exhausting the system resources of the machine, thus preventing it from responding to legitimate traffic.

The goal of these attacks is to overwhelm ports with multiple streams of information, overloading the server so that it cannot continue to provide its services. That's why it's known as 'denial of service,' because the server cannot handle the large number of requests it receives.

This type of network can be monetized as a Crime as a Service (CaaS), meaning the network of controlled devices is sold or rented to a third party, who then uses them for their attacks.

However, due to the use of certain protocols that were not designed with security against these types of attacks in mind, Distributed Reflection/Reflective Denial of Service (DrDoS) emerged, which has quickly spread to other environments, such as IoT devices, which could be compromised and behave as part of a botnet.

Characteristics of DrDoS attacks

They distribute the traffic

DrDoS attacks leverage multiple vulnerable servers distributed across different locations to flood their target with malicious traffic.

Amplify the traffic

DrDoS attacks exploit Internet protocols that can generate responses much larger than the original requests. This action is known as traffic amplification.

They can falsify the source IP adress

Cybercriminals can fake the user's IP address as the source address in requests sent to reflection servers. This causes amplified responses to be directed towards the target user instead of returning to the attacker. This action complicates the identification of the attack origin.

They exploit botnets

Cybercriminals, in order to launch large-scale DrDoS attacks, often exploit botnets, networks of compromised devices (computers, servers, IoT devices, etc.) controlled remotely.

They are easy to execute

DrDoS attacks are often easy to execute, as attackers only need access to automated tools that allow them to identify and exploit vulnerable servers.

How DrDoS attacks work

Unlike DDoS attacks, DrDoS attacks exploit the ability of many online systems to respond to information requests.

The attacker spoofs the victim's IP address and sends massive requests to open servers such as DNS servers, NTP (Network Time Protocol), or SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). These servers respond to the request, but instead of sending the response to the attacker's spoofed IP address, they send it to the victim's IP address, flooding their network with a barrage of unsolicited data. This overwhelms the victim's network resources, rendering their services inaccessible to legitimate users.

Therefore, in this variant, cybercriminals aim to generate as many request packets or access attempts to the targeted service as possible, originating with a small payload size to maximize their volume.

Although the attack causes significant impact on the targeted systems, its effectiveness is hindered when requests are generated from a single source. Hence, cybercriminals resort to launching the original requests not from a single device, but from tens or thousands, leveraging botnet networks under their control and utilizing many intermediate systems for amplification. This approach makes the attack much harder to mitigate.

How to defend against a DrDoS attack

1. Traffic monitoring: Constantly monitoring network traffic can help identify unusual patterns that may indicate an ongoing DrDoS attack. Having a cybersecurity specialist is crucial for this task, as they have the necessary tools and knowledge to conduct effective monitoring.

2. Implementing firewalls: Configuring firewalls and security devices to block or limit suspicious incoming traffic can mitigate the effects of a DrDoS attack.

At ESED, we work with firewalls  that utilize cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence. The use of Deep Learning technology enables quick and effective detection of unknown malware hidden within suspicious payloads.

3. Traffic filtering: Use traffic filtering systems to block malicious or suspicious data packets before they reach your network.

4. Proper server configuration: Ensure servers that could be used to amplify traffic are properly configured and not susceptible to exploitation.

5. Disaster recovery plan: A Disaster Recovery Plan outlines actions and resources, both technical and human, to establish protocols for minimizing damage and restoring normal operations as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

6. Cloud mitigation: Consider using cloud-based DDoS mitigation services offered by specialized providers. These services can help filter malicious traffic before it reaches your network.

7. Cybersecurity training for businesses: Training staff on the signs of a potential DrDoS attack and the measures they can take to mitigate its effects can strengthen the organization's security posture.

At ESED, we offer cybersecurity courses for employees of businesses, teaching them best computing practices to safeguard business information and security.

ESED, your best ally against cyberattacks

Undoubtedly, the best option to prevent cyberattacks, in addition to what was mentioned earlier, is to have a cybersecurity specialist who understands the field.

Cybersecurity specialists create, test, and analyze systems to keep data and information safe from cybercriminals and other external threats. Their primary goal is to identify threats and find ways to secure all IT infrastructure and devices against malware and viruses that could jeopardize company information (passwords, customer data, confidential company information, supplier information, etc.)

These are some of the benefits of having a cybersecurity specialist.

We hope this article has helped you understand the threat posed by a DrDoS attack to businesses.

Do you know the security level of your system? Do you want to find out if it's vulnerable to cyberattacks? Contact us!