Denial of Service, commonly referred to as DoS is becoming an increasingly common threat. It involves intruding into the private server and weakening the system. The attackers take over the system and send an uninterrupted message to the server for gaining complete access. It prevents the original user from accessing the device and may at times pose a serious threat. ”

How does DoS work?
The DoS attacks send enormous amounts of fake traffic to the PC network and servers, which causes them to crash. When a server is not designed to receive extremely high volumes of traffic, it slows down to a point where it crashes until the traffic is back to normal.

What are the types of DoS attacks?
DoS attacks are of different types. To protect your device, you should be aware of some of the common types of DoS attacks listed below:

HTTP Flood – Known to be a common type of attack, it sends a complete and apparently valid request for HTTP Post.

SYN Flood – Though not so common, this attack is made by taking undue advantage of the basic method of opening TCP connection. The attacker sends innumerable connection messages from a fake IP address. The servers often consider the message to be a legitimate one and get compromised.

How to prevent DoS attack?
DoS attacks are not predetermined, and therefore, it is not possible to completely prevent the attack. However, following are the ways of reducing the risk.
● Get an antivirus software and strong firewall for your device.
● A network administrator needs to be extra careful about server configuration and must strengthen the firewall policies for blocking possible threats or unauthenticated users.
● Opt for third-party services even if they are expensive as they guide and guard against these attacks.

How to protect the system from a DoS threat?

Install good firewall software on your PC and servers. A firewall acts as a barrier between your internal trusted network and the outside network, which is the Internet. When you install a firewall on your PC, the firewall controls the inflow and outflow of data and network connections. Moreover, a good firewall protects your PC from spoof attacks where DoS attackers are disguised as trusted sources that try to gain access to your private networks and steal your information. The firewall will immediately check the source for its origin as well as monitor the traffic flow from that source in order to gauge whether it is a DoS attacker in disguise.

Companies and large enterprises usually invest in a heavy-duty firewall system to protect their employees’ information as well as critical company files and data. Here, the companies choose to block certain websites and servers from gaining access to their servers and private network. The employees need to virtually sign in to the private network using unique usernames and passwords. In this way, the access to the private official network is completely controlled and no outsider can gain access to the internal network.

It is advisable to do a thorough research and find out the best firewall software as well as antivirus programs with firewall protection to ensure holistic security from threats and DoS attacks. You can easily purchase the software program online or from your trusted local computer and software salesperson or store. Make sure you check the warranty period, the agreement for renewal, and other details that can affect the efficacy of your firewall software. You can also customize the settings of your firewall by using the control panel of the software for a seamless experience.