A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is a type of cyber attack where a large number of computer resources are used to overwhelm a service, website, or network, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. In a DDoS attack, attackers simultaneously send requests from many different computers or devices to the target, depleting the target's resources and making it unreachable for legitimate users.
The term "distributed" refers to the fact that the requests come from a multitude of sources, making it more difficult to block the attack as it doesn't originate from a single source. Often, botnets are utilized to generate the requests. These botnets consist of many infected computers or devices under the control of the attacker.
DDoS attacks can cause significant damage by taking the affected services or websites offline, resulting in revenue loss, reputation damage, and other negative impacts. They pose a serious threat to businesses, governments, and other organizations reliant on online services.