Understanding DDOS Attacks

DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are a method of disrupting traffic to and from a web server. In a Denial of Service attack, one or more methods are used to drown a server with requests in an attempt to make it unreachable for legitimate visitors. In a Distributed Denial of Service attack, the requests are launched from numerous machines. This makes a distributed attack quite difficult to mitigate, since there is no easy way to distinguish between legitimate traffic and malicious traffic.

While the exact methods used and reasons for this type of attack may vary, the end result is that any website on a server being attacked in this manner will appear down.

What Services are Affected by DDOS Attacks?

During a DDOS attack, anything from websites to email and cPanel can be affected. Even if services are still available, those services can be significantly slowed down to the point they are unusable. Once the attack has either been resolved or subsides, all services will return to normal.

Does a DDOS Compromise My Account?

No, a DDOS attack does not in any way compromise your account on the server. The goal of a DDOS attack is to disrupt traffic, and this is not a method to gain access to a cPanel account, website, or email accounts. During a DDOS attack, the server is not compromised and website files, emails, and databases are safe.

How does Web Hosting Hub Protect Fight a DDOS Attack?

At Web Hosting Hub we have a team of Systems Administrators that monitor our servers 24/7. If a DDOS attack is detected, our Systems Team quickly implements the necessary methods to mitigate the attack as soon as possible. If the attackers change methods, our System Team responds by changing the mitigation plan. If necessary, DNS changes may even be implemented. If DNS changes become necessary, there will be a window of propagation time while the changes take affect. DNS propagation normally takes 4-24 hours but our Systems Team will do everything they can to expedite process.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.