These days, cyber attacks have become a constant thread, and one type that continues to make headlines is the DDoS attack. You’ve probably heard of it or even experienced it yourself. But, what you might not know is that a specific tool used to carry out these attacks is called a DDoS booter.
In this article, we'll break down what a DDoS booter is, how it works, and what you can do to protect yourself from these cyber-attacks.
What is a DDoS Booter?
A DDoS booter, or sometimes known as a "DDoS attack booter," is a tool that hackers use to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
Essentially, a DDoS attack overwhelms a target’s network, website, or service with a flood of internet traffic, making it impossible for legitimate users to access the service. Think of it like thousands of fake users trying to enter a store at once, blocking real customers from getting in.
{{cool-component}}
Where are these Booters?
These booters can be found easily on the dark web and, shockingly, sometimes even in more public corners of the internet. In 2023, Kaspersky found over 700 ads for DDoS-for-hire services on dark web forums. The cost of these services varies, with daily fees ranging from $20 to $10,000.
They offer an easy-to-use interface that allows anyone, even those without deep technical skills, to initiate DDoS attacks. And often, they’re marketed as “stress-testing” tools for websites or servers—though most people know exactly what they’re really for.
How DDoS Booters Work
So, how does a DDoS booter actually work? The process begins by sending massive amounts of traffic from different computers or devices, often compromised by malware and forming what’s known as a botnet. This botnet is made up of thousands of infected devices, all controlled by the attacker to simultaneously bombard the target with requests.
The best DDoS booter services can use these botnets to make it seem like the attack is coming from different locations across the globe, making it harder to stop.
The booter service itself makes this entire process simple. You typically log in, pay a fee (in many cases with cryptocurrency), and choose the target. With just a few clicks, the attack is launched. The DDoS booter service takes care of all the technical details, leaving the attacker with minimal effort involved.
Some booters even offer multiple levels of attacks, from small bursts of traffic to massive waves designed to completely knock a site or service offline. And this is why they’re so dangerous—they take what was once a complicated cyber-attack and make it as simple as buying a product online.
Types of DDoS Booters
There are several types of DDoS booters, each using different techniques to overwhelm a target.
1. Layer 4 Booter
Layer 4 booters target the network level of communication. This means they attack the core processes that handle sending and receiving data over the internet.
These attacks are designed to overwhelm the system’s capacity to manage network traffic.
Common Layer 4 DDoS Booter Attacks
2. Layer 7 Booter
Layer 7 booters go after the application layer—the part of the network that handles websites, apps, and online services.
These attacks are aimed at overwhelming specific web servers, making them crash or become too slow to use. According to the Imperva threat report, application layer DDoS attacks are increasing by 82% year-on-year, making this one of the most common DDoS booters used.
Common Layer 7 DDoS Booter Attacks
3. Amplification Booter
Amplification booters work by exploiting vulnerabilities in certain services like DNS or NTP.
They send small requests to these services but spoof the target’s IP address, causing the response to be sent back to the target, amplifying the traffic they receive.
Common Amplification DDoS Booter Attacks
4. Botnet-Based Booter
A botnet-based booter uses a network of infected devices (called a botnet) to launch an attack. These devices are often infected with malware and are controlled by the attacker without the device owner’s knowledge. When the attack is triggered, all the devices in the botnet send traffic to the target at once.
The number of IoT devices used in DDoS attacks have increased fivefold from 200,000 to 1 million devices over the past year, according to Nokia, and based on this, the compromised devices now account for 40% of all DDoS traffic, which makes this zombie-like infestation very worrisome.
5. Multi-vector Booter
A multi-vector booter is a more advanced form of attack that uses a combination of several different techniques (Layer 4, Layer 7, Amplification, etc.) to hit the target from multiple angles, making the attack harder to defend against.
Bypass Methods Used by DDoS Booters
As DDoS mitigation tools evolve, DDoS booters have developed techniques to bypass standard security & DDoS monitoring measures. These bypass methods make it harder for firewalls and detection systems to block malicious traffic, allowing attackers to continue their assaults more effectively.
Here are some of the common bypass methods:
- IP Spoofing: Attackers disguise their traffic by faking the source IP addresses, making it difficult for security systems to identify and block the true source of the attack.
- Randomized Traffic Patterns: By randomizing the timing, size, and content of traffic, attackers can avoid detection by traffic monitoring systems that look for repetitive patterns.
- IP Rotation: Attackers continuously change the IP addresses used in the attack, making it harder for systems to block traffic by IP-based blacklisting.
- Encrypted Traffic (SSL/TLS): Some attacks use encrypted traffic to hide malicious activity, forcing the target server to decrypt the data and making it harder for security systems to differentiate between legitimate and harmful traffic.
- Domain Generation Algorithms (DGA): Attackers use algorithms to rapidly generate new domain names, evading DNS-based blocking techniques and blacklisting efforts.
- Slowloris Attack: This method sends partial and slow HTTP requests, keeping connections open for long periods. It eventually exhausts the server's resources without needing a large amount of traffic, making it harder to detect.
{{cool-component}}
Protecting Against DDoS Attacks
You might be wondering how to protect yourself or your business from these attacks. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can employ.
- Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF): A WAF can help filter out malicious traffic before it even reaches your server. It acts as a barrier, analyzing incoming traffic and blocking anything that looks suspicious.
- Invest in DDoS Protection Services: Companies that specialize in DDoS protection can help absorb and mitigate large amounts of traffic, keeping your site or service running smoothly even during an attack. These services are designed to handle massive waves of traffic without overwhelming your server.
- Overprovisioning Bandwidth: Having more bandwidth than you typically need won’t stop a DDoS attack, but it can help by making it harder for an attack to take down your services. It gives you a bit more breathing room to handle sudden traffic spikes.
- Monitor Traffic Patterns: Keeping an eye on your traffic can help you identify abnormal spikes before they turn into a full-blown DDoS attack. Many attacks start small and gradually ramp up, so early detection can make a big difference.
- IP Blacklisting: Many DDoS attacks come from a specific range of IP addresses. By blacklisting these IPs, you can reduce the amount of malicious traffic hitting your server.
DDoS Booters and Cybersecurity
DDoS booters have become a significant concern for cybersecurity professionals because of how easy they are to use. As we mentioned earlier, the best DDoS booter services make launching an attack as simple as pushing a button, which means more people are doing it. As a result, the frequency of these attacks has skyrocketed in recent years.
Moreover, booters pose a real problem for smaller businesses or individuals who don’t have the resources to invest in high-end protection. While large companies often have the means to fend off DDoS attacks, smaller websites, gaming servers, and personal blogs might struggle to stay online during an attack. This makes it crucial for everyone—not just big businesses—to have some level of protection in place.
Unfortunately, many people underestimate the danger that DDoS booters represent, thinking they are only a problem for major corporations. However, the reality is that any service with an online presence can be a target. That’s why it’s vital to stay informed and be proactive about protecting yourself and your digital assets.
