Let’s break down what a Protocol DDoS attack is and how it works 🧠💥
🧨 What Is a Protocol DDoS Attack?
A Protocol DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack targets weaknesses in the communication protocols that computers and networks use to talk to each other—like TCP, UDP, ICMP, or even BGP.
Unlike volumetric attacks (which flood bandwidth), protocol attacks aim to exhaust server resources by exploiting how these protocols handle connections and data.
🔍 How Do Protocol DDoS Attacks Work?
These attacks send malformed, excessive, or unexpected protocol requests that confuse or overload the target system. The server wastes time and memory trying to process them, eventually crashing or becoming unresponsive.
⚙️ Common Types of Protocol DDoS Attacks
| Attack Type | Protocol Targeted | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| SYN Flood | TCP | Sends fake connection requests, leaving the server hanging. |
| Ping of Death | ICMP | Sends oversized ping packets that crash systems. |
| Smurf Attack | ICMP | Spoofs IP addresses to flood a target with ping replies. |
| Teardrop Attack | IP | Sends fragmented packets that confuse reassembly. |
| BGP Hijacking | BGP | Redirects traffic to malicious servers. |
🛡️ Why Are Protocol Attacks Dangerous?
- They’re harder to detect than volumetric attacks.
- They don’t need huge traffic volumes—just clever exploitation.
- They can bypass basic firewalls if not properly configured.
🧠 Real-World Example
In 2018, attackers used BGP hijacking to redirect traffic from MyEtherWallet (a crypto wallet site) to a fake Russian server. Users unknowingly gave away their credentials, and attackers stole thousands in Ethereum.
