A distributed denial of service (DDoS) is a malicious attempt to make an online service unavailable to users. It is typically conducted by temporarily suspending or interrupting its hosting server’s services. DDoS attacks are rapidly becoming the most popular type of threat to cyber. According to statistics and research, it has quickly grown in both number and volume in the past year. Attackers draw motivation from different factors.�?
We shall discuss these factors further in this article. In general, the main aim of a DDoS attack is to wreck the website. Fortunately, a DDoS attack is against the laws per the computer misuse act of 1990. Since it is illegal, an attacker risks imprisonment as a punishment. This law also applies to any other similar kind of attack.�?
Types Of DDoS Attack
1. Volume-based attack
2. Protocol attacks�?
3. Application layer attacks
1. Volume-Based Attacks�?
The volume-based attack is the most popular type of DDoS attack. It includes the UDP flood and ICMP flood. The attacker aims to flood a web server with data packets to saturate its bandwidth. This action hinders real visitors from loading the Minecraft server. Its magnitude gets determined in bits per second (Bps).
2. Application Attacks�?
An application attack includes low and slow attacks. The primary aim of the attack is to wreck the Minecraft server. Its magnitude is measured in Request per second (Rps). The very top layer targeted is Open SYN Interconnection (OSI) model. The attackers primarily focus on the top layer of application attacks.�?
3. Protocol Attacks�?
This particular type of attack includes; Ping of death, Fragmented packet, SYN, and more. Its main goal is to use Minecraft server resources. Others include; firewalls and local balances, commonly known as Intermediate Communication Equipment. The protocol attacks are measured in Packets per second (Pps).
Methods That Attackers Use To DDoS A Minecraft Server
Established cyber crooks use various methods to infiltrate Minecraft servers. Here is a list of the methods used to launch DDoS attacks on a Minecraft server:
1. UDP flood�?
2. HTTP flood�?
3. Slowloris�?
4. SYN flood�?
5. Ping of death�?
6. NTP Amplification�?
7. ICMP flood
The UDP Flood Method
It uses Datagram Protocol whereby attackers flood UDP packets constantly to the Minecraft server and automatically attack ports on a Minecraft remote. The attacks make the Minecraft server check for the application listening at the port repeatedly. By doing so, it sends ICMP destination unreliable packets forcefully. Usually, the request comes from a spoofed IP address. This process may result in inaccessibility.
HTTP Flood Method
This type of attack may result in service denial. The attackers seemingly flood the Minecraft server with HTTP GET it POST. The attacker’s exploitation seems to be legitimate. Minecraft server is forced to allocate maximum resources possible. These allocations are done to every request, according to the attackers. HTTP flood only expects less bandwidth to bring down a Minecraft server.�?
Slowloris Method
It is the most targeted attack. It enables the Minecraft server or any other webserver to take down another web server. It conducts this by holding various connections open to the Minecraft server for as long as possible.�?
Slowloris achieves this by developing links to the Minecraft server, only sending partial requests. It does not complete a request. Minecraft server retains each of these connections open. With time, it overflows the maximum concurrent connection pool, resulting in the denial of additional connections from potential and legitimate clients.
SYN Flood Method
This attack exploits a known weakness in the TCT connection when the Minecraft server severally attempts to transmit or receive data from the server under TCP protocol and is done by establishing a connection. An SYN request to start a TCP with a host must come from an SYN-ACK response from the host. It also has to be ascertained by an ACK response from the requester.�?
The TCP is commonly known as a Connection-Oriented Protocol since it establishes a connection using a “three-way handshaking process.”�? In a DDoS attack, the attacker keeps sending the SYN message to the Minecraft server without necessarily responding to the Minecraft server’s SYN+ACK messages. As a result, many open connections deplete the Minecraft server’s bandwidth leading to a denial of service.�?
The Ping of Death
In the Ping of Death attack (POD), the attacker sends ferocious and continuous ping requests to the Minecraft server. Its size is 65,535 bytes. This is according to the maximum packet length of an IP packet. The packets are split up and sent to the Minecraft server and other servers. When reassembled into the complete packet, they overflow the memory protection allocated for the data larger than 65,535 bytes, leading to a denial of service for legitimate packets.
ICMP Attack�?
This is also a prolonged attack that floods the local network connections by sending a progression of echo requests (ping packets) to the Minecraft server.�?
The Minecraft server generally sends excessive echo responses to the attacker without necessarily waiting for replies. However, the attacker might not have a reputable destination since the IP is spoofed. The ICMP attack consumes the outgoing and incoming bandwidth since the Minecraft server will respond with ICMP echo reply packets prompting a substantial overall slowdown.
NTP Amplification�?
In this type of attack, known as Network Time Protocol (NTP), the attacker exploits it to overwhelm the Minecraft server. With UDP traffic, this attack is called an amplification assault. An attacker who obtains a list of open NTP servers can quickly generate a more devastating high bandwidth and high volume DDoS attack.
Motivation Behind DDoS Attacks�?
Ideology- Commonly known as “hacktivists.” The attackers target the Minecraft website since they disagree ideologically.
Business Feuds- Stiff competition in business can use DDoS attacks to take down Minecraft websites strategically.
Cyber warfare- The DDoS attack recognized by the government can be used to hinder opposition websites and the infrastructure of the enemy country.
Signs Of DDoS Attack
Here are the signs to look for when you suspect that your server is under attack from cyber crooks:
1. Minecraft website is responding slowly.
2. Minecraft’s website is unresponsive.
3. The user has difficulty accessing the Minecraft website.
4. There can be a poor internet connection if you are the target.
How Does DDoS Attack Work On A Minecraft Server?
The attack mainly tests the limits of a Minecraft server, network, and application resources by sending spikes of decoy traffic. The DDoS attack generally uses Zombie devices known as botnets consisting of compromised websites and computers.�?
The botnet will attack a Minecraft server and consume the application resources when the attack is activated. Upon its success, users may be hindered from accessing the Minecraft website.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned DDoS attacks can result in fatal Minecraft server performance and even bring it down eventually. Luckily, several preventive measures are taken by different organizations worldwide. These measures assist in preventing and mitigating these DDoS attacks.�?
Minecraft servers should also have DDoS protection to protect them from any DDoS attack. It should also be lifetime protection and reliable against all the methods used by DDoS attackers. This kind of attack is devastating in Minecraft servers and other businesses and may lead to financial losses and performance difficulty. Always be aware of such attacks to keep your Minecraft server safe from attackers.�?
References:
1. https://youprogrammer.com/how-to-ddos-a-minecraft-server/
2. https://www.csoonline.com/article/3648530/ddos-attacks-definition-examples-and-techniques.html