On March 28, 2006, the Domain Name System (DNS) servers at Network Solutions, a popular domain name registrar, were hit by a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. DNS servers are used to route traffic on the Internet. DNS attacks are very dangerous because large numbers of websites can be brought down with a single strike.
A DDoS attack uses thousands of compromised computers to simultaneously send "legitimate" requests to the DNS. At some point, nearly all DNS servers cannot deal with the flood of requests and server performance degrades or stops. There are many DNS servers worldwide with poor security. These systems can be infected and used as slaves of the online attackers.
The DDoS attack on Network Solutions resulted in performance degradation for the company's clients. The attack started at 2.20 pm EST and lasted for 25 minutes, until the server recovered. Within about half an hour after the attack started, Network Solutions had overcome the problem and restored service to its clients. The attack did minor damage, but raised concerns about overall DNS server security.
Just a week before the attacks on Network Solutions and on German domain registrar Joker.com, approximately 1,500 organizations worldwide were hit by a similar DDoS attack. The hackers remain unknown, but it looks like they used botnets and other hacked DNS servers to interrupt service for many companies.
Source: ComputerWeekly.com
About Secure64 Software Corporation
Secure64® is a software developer providing highly secure DNS and server applications with built-in denial-of-service protection features to help ensure your Internet-dependent business is always accessible. Based on the genuinely secure SourceT® microOS, Secure64 DNS remains highly available during network attacks and is immune to compromise from rootkits and malware.