---
title: Jericho's Cybersecurity Glossary | Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
description: A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to make an online service or network unavailable by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic from multiple sources, often using a botnet.
---

[Jericho Security | Glossary](http://www.jerichosecurity.com/glossary)

# [Jericho's Cybersecurity Glossary | Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)](http://www.jerichosecurity.com/glossary/distributed-denial-of-service)

 Written by [Jericho Security Team](http://www.jerichosecurity.com/glossary/author/jericho-security-team) | September 27, 2024

#### *Definition:*

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to make an online service or network unavailable by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic from multiple sources, often using a botnet.

#### *Use Cases:*

- Used by attackers to disrupt websites, servers, or networks, rendering them inaccessible to legitimate users.
- Employed in coordinated attacks against high-profile targets like banks or government websites.

#### *Related Terms:*

- [Denial of Service (DoS)](https://www.jerichosecurity.com/glossary/denial-of-service)
- [Botnet](https://www.jerichosecurity.com/glossary/botnet)
- Traffic Flooding
- Rate Limiting

#### *Questions and Answers:*

- **What is the difference between DoS and DDoS attacks?**A DoS attack comes from a single source, while a DDoS attack originates from multiple compromised devices, making it harder to mitigate.
- **How do DDoS attacks impact organizations?**DDoS attacks can cause service outages, loss of revenue, and reputational damage by overwhelming the targeted infrastructure.
- **How can DDoS attacks be mitigated?**DDoS attacks can be mitigated through traffic filtering, rate limiting, and using cloud-based DDoS protection services.

[View full post](http://www.jerichosecurity.com/glossary/distributed-denial-of-service)

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