Context
Tech billionaire Elon Musk reported a “massive DDoS attack” on X that interfered with the broadcast of his interview with former US President Donald Trump.
About Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack
- A DDoS attack overwhelms a target server or network with excessive traffic, causing disruption and making it inaccessible e to legitimate users.
- Execution: A botnet, consisting of compromised devices like computers and IoT gadgets, is used to generate massive traffic.
- Attack Process: The botnet sends a flood of requests to the target’s IP address, overwhelming the server or network.
- Defense Challenge: Separating malicious traffic from legitimate traffic is difficult.
About Botnet
- It is a network of compromised devices, such as computers and IoT gadgets, controlled by a hacker.
- Commonly used for cyberattacks like DDoS, spamming, data theft, and distributing malware.
- Attack Process:
- Devices in a botnet are infected with malware.
- The attacker sends commands to the botnet, directing the compromised devices to perform coordinated malicious activities.
- Defense Challenges: Detecting and dismantling a botnet is difficult due to the distributed nature and legitimate appearance of the compromised devices.
Source:
The Hindu
Previous Year Question
In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?
1.Service providers
2.Intermediaries
3.Corporate bodies
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)
