How to Tell If You Are Being DDoSed: 7 Signs

What is one way to tell if you are being distributed denial-of-service attacked (DDoS attack)?

To help you guard your business against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, we asked network security experts this question for their best insights. From large number of failed login attempts to multi-symptom slowdowns, there are several telling signs that may help tip you off to quickly respond to protect your business against DDoS attacks.

Here are 7 signs to tell if you are being DDoSed:

• Large Number of Failed Login Attempts
• Unusual Traffic Flow
• Traffic Spikes Emanating from a Single Source
• Files Load Slowly Or Not at All
• Computer Becomes Sluggish and Unresponsive
• High Volume of Traffic from Certain IP Addresses
• Multi-Symptom Slowdowns

Large Number of Failed Login Attempts

If you're seeing an increase in failed login attempts on your network, you may be under attack. Failed login attempts are one of the first indicators that you may be under a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack because it happens when attackers flood your network with requests, making it difficult for legitimate users to access their accounts and services. This is done by bombarding your network with malicious traffic to overload it. Therefore, looking at your network logs is one surefire way to identify if you have been DDoS attacked. It will show when abnormal traffic has occurred and how many failed login attempts have been made, so if you see large spikes in login requests coming into your servers, that could be an indication that someone is trying to take them down.

Yoav Morder, Sonary

Unusual Traffic Flow

DDOS attacks happen fast and are highly disruptive. You may notice a sudden difficulty in connecting to your website, which either slows things to a crawl or outright makes it impossible to connect.

In particular if you're getting "too many connection" errors notices when your traffic is otherwise mild at any other time, something may be amiss. If that incoming traffic also has a pattern of spiking and abating several times over a period of time, it's a fairly certain sign that you're being DDOS'ed.

You can contact your ISP to find out the nature of the incoming traffic to your website and enact steps to help end the DDOS. If you notice these sorts of symptoms to your websites or networks, don't hesitate to reach out and get some help. The sooner you act, the better.

Boye Fajinmi, TheFutureParty

Traffic Spikes Emanating from a Single Source

One way to tell if you are the victim of a DDoS attack is if you notice an unusually high amount of traffic coming from a single source. This can cause your website or server to slow down or even crash, as it becomes overwhelmed by requests. Another clue that you may be under attack is if you see strange or unexpected behavior from your users, such as sudden spikes in activity or unusually high error rates. If you suspect that you are under attack, it is important to take steps to mitigate the damage and prevent the attacker from taking control of your systems. In addition, it is advisable to contact your ISP or web hosting provider so they can take steps to block the offending traffic.

Jim Campbell, Wizve - Digital & Affiliate Marketing Agency

Files Load Slowly Or Not at All

First and foremost, a Distributed denial-of-service attack is malicious software or cyber-attack used to disrupt the availability of a website to end users. So check this out, you are connected to very fast internet, and you probably just serviced your computer or phone, which is as good as new. Then you are trying to log on to this one website that you always log on and use efficiently. Suddenly, it is loading or buffering for over ten minutes, or it even mysteriously disappears as if it has never existed. Well, this is pretty much one of those scenarios that will get your attention on whether you are witnessing a DDoS attack, which you most probably are.

Dikendra Acharya, Find People Faster

Computer Becomes Sluggish and Unresponsive

A denial of service attack mainly affects the computer's ability to respond, slowing down all main operations. The length of these interruptions is the primary indicator of a spike in website traffic that slows server response time and what makes a network unresponsive.

Regular server overloads or network issues are typically resolved in a short amount of time.

A DDoS attack slows down websites and networks for hours or even days. It can be attributed to everyday activities. Even websites like Amazon have been a victim of DDoS attacks.

Will Donnelly, Lottie

High Volume of Traffic from Certain IP Addresses

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a type of cyberattack in which an attacker attempts to overload a server or network with requests, making it unavailable to legitimate users. One way to tell if you are being targeted by a DDoS attack is if you see a large increase in traffic from certain IP addresses. This is because DDoS attacks typically involve the attacker sending a large number of requests to the target server or network from multiple computers, often using botnets. If you see a sudden spike in traffic from many different IP addresses, it may be an indication that you are under attack. However, it is important to note that not all spikes in traffic are indicative of an attack, so it is always best to err on the side of caution and contact your IT department or service provider if you are unsure.

Divya Karthik, Plumbers Nearby

Multi-Symptom Slowdowns

The most common form of DDOS attack is the volume based attack, and likely the one that most people think about when they hear the term DDOS. This attack is designed to send a high volume of connections to a website in order to overwhelm the it's network and server in order to interrupt common access.

Unfortunately the symptoms of a DDOS attack can look a lot like a variety of different network issues, making them a bit harder to pin down.

In general if you notice signs like a very sudden slow down in file access, slow or impossible website access or internet disconnection, it's very possible you may be experiencing a DDOS attack. This is especially true if you have multiple issues happening at once. DDOS attacks by design slow down websites and networks to a crawl. If you notice Multi-symptom slowness to your site it's worth investigating.

Alex Chavarry, Cool Links

Submit Your Answer

Would you like to submit an alternative answer to the question, "What is one way to tell if you are being distributed denial-of-service attacked (DDoS attack)?" Submit your answer here.