A DDoS attack — Distributed Denial of Service — is when attackers flood a server, network, or service with so much traffic that it becomes unavailable to legitimate users. The “distributed” part means the attack comes from thousands or millions of different sources simultaneously, making it hard to block.
How a DDoS Attack Works
- Attackers build or rent a botnet — a network of infected devices (computers, routers, IoT devices) controlled remotely
- They direct all these devices to send traffic to a single target simultaneously
- The target server becomes overwhelmed trying to handle all the requests
- Legitimate users can’t get through — the service goes down
Types of DDoS Attacks
- Volumetric attacks: Pure bandwidth floods — sending massive amounts of garbage traffic to saturate the target’s connection
- Protocol attacks: Exploit weaknesses in network protocols (e.g., SYN floods that exhaust server connection tables)
- Application layer attacks: Target web servers specifically — sending requests that look legitimate but are computationally expensive
Can Your Home IP Be DDoSed?
Yes, and it happens — especially in gaming. If someone gets your IP address during an online game, they can direct traffic at it, dropping your connection. Your home router typically can’t handle DDoS-level traffic and will become unresponsive.
How to Protect Yourself
- Use a VPN while gaming: Hides your real IP so attackers can’t target you directly
- Don’t share your real IP: Use platforms with built-in relay servers for voice calls and gaming where possible
- Contact your ISP: They can sometimes null-route an attack or assign you a new IP
- Restart your router: Gets you a new IP address from your ISP (if you have a dynamic IP)