With the growing acceptance of the Internet as a platform for business and other transactions, thefts and attacks have moved online, too.
Enterprises and social networks have trusted Dedicated Servers as their host due to all the benefits it offers, but even the best Dedicated Server isn’t very safe when it comes to these attacks.
It again boils down to good hosting services and security strategies, but there are still chances.
Distributed Denial of Service attacks, i.e., the infamous DDoS attacks, are well-planned and very conscious.
They attack the reach of your website, and your users are kept from enjoying your services at their best. We will help you understand these attacks and how to protect your server from those attacks in detail.
Understanding DDoS Attacks
DDoS attacks are serious yet commonly observed threats to your enterprise set online. They occur when an online entity overwhelms your website and server with fake traffic, posing a barrier to your genuine traffic and users.
These cyber-attacks are usually caused to target and crash a network. It disrupts the ongoing operations, communication, revenue, smooth traffic transactions, etc. There are various types of DDoS attacks, including:
| Sr. No. | Type of attack | Form |
| 1 | Application-Layer Attacks | This type of attack causes trouble to a specific application instead of an entire network. The attacker will use various ‘HTTP’ requests to overwhelm that application, so much so that the application will stop responding to the current and genuine users. |
| 2 | Protocol Attacks | These attacks exhaust the weaknesses in the procedures by finding loopholes or loose protocols. This attack eventually slows down an entire network. |
| 3 | Volume-based Attacks | This type of attack sends false data requests to create network crowding. This targets the bandwidth of the legitimate user of that network. It also limits or restricts the in-and-out flow of the normal traffic. |
Tips to Prevent DDoS Attacks on Your Dedicated Server
Even with the best dedicated Servers, you can never be 100% sure of being attack-free. You can have a DDoS-protected Dedicated Server, which will require continuous effort from your side as a host.
Here are a few tips to have a secured Dedicated Server with several precautions.
- DDoS Protection Plan
Various DDoS protection services in the market specialize in detecting and mitigating a DDoS attack in real-time, i.e., when it is happening.
It filters the traffic and blacklists any fishy user to prevent malicious traffic from entering and playing with your Dedicated Server. A DDoS-protected Dedicated Server will always be better than the one that’s not.
- Monitor Network Traffic
Having an eye on the door is very important. Assess the traffic flow and verify if there is or isn’t anything out of the ordinary.
This will allow you to identify the attack well before it ultimately impacts your website.
- Improve Network Security
Having strong security and passwords is as essential as anything else. If the hacker does not get enough time to enter, they cannot overwhelm and exhaust the network.
That way, you stay ahead of them and can identify DDoS attacks if you see one.
- Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)
CDNs are crucial to prevent or protect yourself from a DDoS attack because they distribute server load and help mitigate the attack’s impact.
- Timely Updates of Software
If you have any loophole or vulnerability in your network or website, the attackers will spot it and exploit it.
It will be seen as a weakness if you don’t update your software. So, keeping your operating system and server software updated is just as important.
- Limit Resource Consumption
When there is an attack, it is obvious that your resources are being over-utilized; hence, they aren’t reaching where they are supposed to.
To prevent DDos, your Dedicated Server allows you to customize the resource consumption. This means limiting the usage by each user or IP address helps you by a mile.
Conclusion
Protecting your website and server is your fundamental responsibility as the owner of the network. It is critical for the safety of our data and the users’ privacy, too. Having a strategy set for the safety of your website is a need more than a choice today!
Practice these prevention methods even if you have trusted systems, for example, a Dedicated Linux Server. Stay up-to-date with the tricks and techniques of this ever-evolving art of hacking.
