DDoS attacks are extremely difficult to defend against and with each year, the severity, frequency, size, and persistence of DDoS attacks continue to increase.
By definition, a DDoS attack is perpetrated simultaneously from large numbers of devices including home and business users wherever a Trojan has been deployed. This makes the standard countermeasure for DDoS- blocking/blacklisting associated with IP addresses- extremely difficult. While there is no getting around these easy to execute, low cost and effective attacks, they are not impossible to prevent if you’re IT environment is well protected.
With these few tips, organizations can take steps in the right direction to better prepare for an attack as well as minimize the damage of even the most sophisticated assaults:
Monitoring is Key
File Integrity Monitoring works to record any changes to a file system, like core operating system files or program components, and the systems configuration settings (user accounts, password policies, services, installed software, management & monitoring functions, registry keys, and values) running processes and security policy settings for audit policy settings, user rights assignment and security options. FIM is designed to assure a device remains hardened & vulnerability free with all file systems free of any malware. This ensures that even if a form of APT malware manages to infiltrate a critical server, all file system changes will be detected before any rootkit protective measures employed by the malware kick in.
Be on the Lookout for Botnets
Another tip for preventing a DDoS attack is to better prevent the establishment of Botnets in the first place. This route requires a more malware-aware environment with sophisticated computer hygiene standards. One a botnet is invoked, it’s up to the organization to isolate that malware and to have it removed immediately before any damage can be done.
Keep an Eye on Performance Metrics & Scalability
DDoS are notoriously known for their size, especially there large numbers of attacks, consumption of a massive amount of bandwidth and the connections that they generate. To combat these attacks, organizations need to be equipped with high performance, purpose-built hardware that can help mitigate the common, yet large-scale attacks effectively, coupled with intelligent software that can inspect traffic at the highest rates. It’s vitally important that organizations ensure there’s enough processing headroom to prepare networks for future DDoS attacks.
Have a Security Awareness Program in Place
Training employees to recognize what normal bet work behavior looks like and how to spot anomalies is another way to help mitigate a DDoS attack. Ensure that the employees you have is well versed on how to recognize attacks when they occur as well as know how to use the appropriate security tools to fight off the attack. The proactive & preventative approach is the best approach.
With NNT’s Change Tracker Gen7, your organization will come equipped with automated real-time FIM technology coupled with active threat intelligence feeds that can deliver security confidence to even large, complex IT operations.
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