Difference Between DOS and DDOS Attack

The main difference between DOS and DDOS attacks is that DOS attacks are launched from a single point, while DDOS attacks are distributed, coming from many compromised devices simultaneously. This makes DDOS attacks more severe, complex, and challenging to defend against than traditional DOS attacks.

In this article, we will explore - DOS vs DDOS attack in depth. But, before starting with the differences, let's understand which category DOS and DDOS belong to.

DOS (Denial of Service) and DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are cyber attacks that aim to make a computer, network, or service unavailable to its intended users. They belong to a category of "disruption" or "availability" attacks.

In both attacks, the victim's services are disrupted, causing inconvenience or damage to the organization or individual operating the service. The key difference between them is the source of the attack - a single source in DOS and multiple, distributed sources in DDOS.

Table of Content (TOC)

• Difference Between DOS and DDOS - Tabular Comparision
• What is a DOS Attack?
• What is a DDOS Attack?
• Key Differences Between DOS and DDOS Attack 

Difference Between DOS and DDOS - Tabular Comparision

Fo better clarity, let's go through the difference between DOS and DDOS attacks in a tabular format:

What is a DOS Attack?

In a DOS attack, the attacker uses a single internet connection and computer to flood a target with traffic or send information that triggers a crash. The primary goal is to overload the system, server, or network, causing it to slow down significantly or crash, denying service to legitimate users.

Common methods include flooding the server with requests, exploiting software vulnerabilities, or overwhelming a system resource like memory or bandwidth.

If you want to learn in detail about DOS attacks, their types, working, and mitigation techniques, explore the What is a Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attack article.

What is a DDOS Attack?

DDOS attacks are an evolution of DOS attacks. They use multiple compromised computer systems as sources of attack traffic. These systems can include computers and other networked resources, such as IoT devices.

Like DOS, the goal of a DDOS attack is to make the online service unavailable to its users. However, the distributed nature of the attack makes it more powerful and difficult to mitigate.

DDOS attacks often involve overwhelming the target with a flood of internet traffic. This can come from a botnet – a network of hijacked computers or devices infected with malware and controlled by the attacker.

If you want to learn in detail about DDOS attacks, their types, working, and mitigation techniques, explore the What is a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack article.

Key Differences Between DOS and DDOS Attack 

The main difference between a DOS and a DDOS attack lies in their scale, complexity, effectiveness, detection, mitigation, and method of execution:

Scale and Source of Attack

A DOS attack is typically launched from a single internet connection, using one computer to flood a target server with requests, overloading it and rendering it inaccessible. Because it comes from a single source, it is often easier to identify and block.

In contrast, a DDOS attack is executed from multiple compromised devices, often spread across different geographical locations. These devices, collectively known as a botnet, are controlled by the attacker (hackers) to send a flood of requests to the target server. This distributed nature makes DDOS attacks more difficult to mitigate, as blocking one source of the attack does little to stop the others.

Complexity and Effectiveness

DOS attacks are more straightforward and can be executed with less technical know-how. However, due to the single-point nature of the attack, they are generally less effective against larger, well-protected servers.

DDOS attacks are more complex and require control over a network of compromised devices. They are generally more effective due to the sheer volume of traffic coming from multiple locations, overwhelming the target's resources more effectively.

Detection and Mitigation

Since the attack comes from a single source, a DOS attack can be relatively easy to mitigate once identified by simply blocking the incoming traffic with the help of a firewall. 

Detection and mitigation of DDOS attacks are more challenging. The distributed nature of the attack requires a more sophisticated approach to differentiate between legitimate and malicious traffic and to block multiple sources effectively without disrupting regular service. To mitigate such attacks, you must coordinate with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for traffic filtering or use advanced intrusion prevention systems (IPS).

Conclusion

DOS and DDOS attacks, while similar in their aim to disrupt services, differ significantly in execution and impact. A DOS attack emanating from a single source is simpler and easier to counter, often just requiring blocking the offending source. In contrast, DDOS attacks involve multiple compromised devices (botnets), making them more complex and challenging to mitigate due to their distributed nature.