What Is a DDoS Attack and How to Protect Yourself

Introduction

A DDoS attack (Distributed Denial of Service) is one of the best-known and most frustrating attacks. It consists of flooding your website with so many fake requests that the server can’t handle them and the website goes down.

In this article you’ll see what it is, how to detect it and how to protect yourself.

What a DDoS attack is

In a DDoS attack, the attacker uses thousands of computers (often infected, forming a botnet) to send simultaneous requests to your website. The server saturates trying to respond to all of them and the website goes down or becomes inaccessible to real users.

It’s like thousands of people entering a small shop at once: legitimate customers couldn’t enter.

Symptoms of a DDoS attack

• Your website suddenly becomes very slow.
• The website goes down and doesn’t respond.
• Server CPU or bandwidth usage spikes.
• You receive hosting alerts of resource excess.
• Traffic comes from countries where you don’t usually have visits.

What to do if you suffer a DDoS attack

1. Don’t panic

Most DDoS attacks last hours, not days. Stay calm.

2. Contact your hosting

Your hosting can take measures like:

• Blocking attacking IPs.
• Activating stricter firewall rules.
• Absorbing part of the traffic.

At miHosting, if we detect a DDoS attack against your website, we apply mitigation measures. Open an urgent ticket.

3. Enable a CDN like Cloudflare

Cloudflare absorbs DDoS traffic and only lets legitimate visitors through. If you don’t have it, it’s time to enable it.

You have a guide on how to configure Cloudflare in our knowledge base.

4. Block attacking IPs

If you can identify attacking IPs (in the logs), block them in the firewall.

5. Enable Cloudflare’s “Under Attack” mode

If you use Cloudflare, enable “Under Attack” mode that challenges each visitor before letting them through.

How to protect yourself from future DDoS attacks

1. Use a CDN

Cloudflare (free) or another CDN absorbs most DDoS attacks before they reach your server.

2. Use hosting with DDoS protection

Some hosts (like miHosting) have DDoS mitigation at the network level. Ask what protection your plan includes.

3. Configure a WAF

A Web Application Firewall (like Cloudflare’s or Wordfence’s) filters malicious traffic.

4. Keep your website optimized

A light and optimized website withstands traffic spikes better than a slow and heavy one.

5. Have a response plan

Knowing what to do before it happens saves you time and stress when it does.

Useful tips

• Enable Cloudflare before you’re attacked. Don’t wait for it to happen.
• Monitor your traffic. If you see strange spikes, investigate.
• Don’t try to fight a large DDoS alone. Your hosting and CDN should help.
• DDoS attacks don’t steal data. They just try to take down your website. But they can be a distraction for another attack.
• If you’re attacked frequently, consider a higher Cloudflare or hosting plan.

Frequently asked questions

Can a DDoS attack damage my website?

Normally it doesn’t damage data. It just makes it temporarily inaccessible. But it can be a distraction for another attack.

How long does a DDoS attack last?

From minutes to days. Most last a few hours.

Does Cloudflare protect from DDoS for free?

Yes, Cloudflare’s free plan includes basic DDoS protection.

Does my miHosting hosting have DDoS protection?

We have network-level mitigation. For websites that suffer frequent attacks, we recommend combining with Cloudflare. Open a ticket for more information.

Can I completely prevent a DDoS?

Not 100%, but with a CDN and good hosting, most attacks are absorbed without affecting your website.

DDoS: prepare before it happens

A DDoS attack is frustrating, but it doesn’t have to take down your website if you’re prepared. With a CDN like Cloudflare and hosting with mitigation, most attacks are absorbed without impact.

If you need advice on DDoS protection for your miHosting website, open a ticket from your client panel.