What does a DDOS attack involve?

A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack specifically involves a simultaneous and coordinated effort to disrupt the normal functioning of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic from multiple sources. This technique typically employs a network of compromised computers, known as a botnet, to send a massive volume of requests to the target, making it incapable of responding to legitimate requests.

The nature of a DDoS attack lies in its distribution, as each source contributes to the total amount of malicious traffic, amplifying the attack's strength and difficulty to mitigate. Attackers often aim to render a service unavailable or slow to the point of unusability for legitimate users, which is the core goal of such attacks. This is distinctly different from other cyber threats that focus on specific breaches or data theft, as a DDoS attack is primarily about disruption rather than infiltration or data compromise.

The options related to a single source, financial data breaches, or restoring corrupted data do not accurately represent the mechanics or intent of a DDoS attack. Thus, understanding the multi-source approach is essential to grasp what makes DDoS attacks particularly challenging for defenses and the broader implications for security in digital environments.