[IchbinkeinTeufel]

I've just discovered this frustrating DDoS (distributed denial of service) cyber attack wave. This attack floods servers causign them to become largely unresponsive. In my case, with Netflix, for example, I can view the list of programmes and films, but when I go to load something, it's a no go. A DDoS attack, as far as I know, isn't about getting data, it's about causing a disruption in service, for whatever idiotic reason.

From what I've personally seen and read, it's so far affected Amazon, Spotify, Twitter, Netflix, PayPal, Reddit, SoundCloud, PSN, possibly XBL, PayPal, and I've read some report it has affected bank sites too, although mine works fine. I'm not sure what else, but from what I've read, it's getting to a lot of sites.

This doesn't appear to be a hoax or anything. It's all over the Internet. Hopefully it'll be sorted soon, but this is quite disconcerting, to cause so much hassle... I wonder how much companies are being stressed right now. x_x

[seeker1950]

Thanks for the info. I haven't checked those sites...kinda afraid to now!

[FooZe]

Thanks for bringing this up, IchbinkeinTeufel. While it may be of general interest as a news story, it could also shed some light on why some members might experience difficulty (today or in the future) accessing Psych Central.

Two stories I've found online today about this incident are:

Internet attacks cause major Web outage (San Francisco Chronicle)

Here are the sites you can’t access because someone took the internet down (Fusion.net)

Both of the above show some version of this outage map. Those maps don't usually indicate when they were last updated:



.

[ToeJam]

Seeker, DDOS attacks are not as far as I'm aware, dangerous for the end user (us). It is a flood of information, often sent by multiple computers using a specific program to suspend operations for the attacked site. This is one of the methods that the Anonymous group (for example) would use against sites they took exception too.

A DDOS attack in itself should not put your data at risk.

[Aardwolf]

Having worked in the technical field I can confirm what ToeJam has said Seeker - DDOS attacks will not intrude on or compromise your personal data, or any transmissions you make over the internet

[avlady]

good to know thank you

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

I found a couple of news posts:

https://www.wired.com/2016/10/intern...-ddos-dns-dyn/

Major websites across East Coast knocked out in apparent DDoS attack

It's very widely covered, it seems. Thankfully, at least where I am, all seems to be working again.

gotta watch out
They are everywhere
will be looking out

[qwerty68]

These are DNS attacks, which are not attacks on websites. They do not bring down any website, nor do they place malware on them. There is a risk though, a non-HTTPS site can be easily redirected to a different website without detection and that can cause you issues. If you go to a site that uses HTTPS and you get a security warning from your browser, back away! If that happens to a big site like Amazon or your bank, either there was a DNS or other man in the middle attack trying to take you elsewhere, or someone dropped the ball and let a certificate expire.

What DNS attacks do is keep your browser from resolving a URL(ie psychcentral.com) to its IP address, which is what is needed to be able to send and receive data. Psych Central is still running, your browser just can't reach it. Think of it as removing phone books. The businesses are still there but unless you know the phone number, you can't call them.

Whether you are affected has to do with what DNS servers you use, typically the default servers used by your ISP. How many DNS services the website uses will lower the odds that the website is affected too much.

That explanation is missing a lot of technical detail but hopefully is easy to understand.

Edit: Didn't notice this was a 10 day old topic, well hopefully it is still useful or informative.