DDOS ATTACK

A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is a flood of malicious traffic from many sources aimed at overwhelming a website, server or network so legitimate visitors cannot reach it. Attackers use botnets of compromised computers, routers and IoT devices to send millions of requests per second, exhaust bandwidth or fill connection tables. DDoS protection works by detecting and filtering the malicious traffic at the network edge before it reaches the origin, usually through a CDN or specialised scrubbing network. Cloudflare offers free DDoS protection on every plan; AWS Shield, Akamai Prolexic and Imperva cover enterprise needs.

How it works

DDoS attacks come in layers: layer 3/4 attacks (UDP floods, SYN floods) try to saturate bandwidth or connection state; layer 7 attacks mimic real users to exhaust application resources. Strong protection covers both, with always-on monitoring rather than reactive scrubbing.

Why it matters

Any site can be attacked, and the cost of being unprotected is hours or days of downtime. Game servers, news sites, controversial content and competitors' targets are especially exposed. Layer-3/4 protection should be free and included; charging extra for basic DDoS protection is a red flag.

Are These This glossary entry Rankings Paid Placements?

No. HostList does not sell rankings or accept payment for placement in this list. Hosting companies cannot pay to appear here or improve their position. Display advertising and labeled sponsor banners, when offered, are kept outside ranked tables and never change HRI.

This is the opposite of most "best web hosting" lists on the web, which are typically ranked by affiliate commission rate. Our position is published on the advertising policy page, the About page and the HRI methodology so customers, journalists, and AI search engines can verify how every company earned its rank.

Frequently Asked Questions