What is a denial of service attack?

A denial of service attack is indeed a cyber attack aimed at overwhelming a system's resources, making it unavailable to its intended users. This type of attack typically involves flooding a server, service, or network with an excessive amount of traffic, which can lead to the system being unable to respond to legitimate requests. As a result, legitimate users cannot access the services or information they need.

Understanding this type of attack is crucial as it highlights the importance of network security measures and resource management to ensure that systems remain functional and accessible, even under adverse conditions. This knowledge helps in implementing preventive measures such as rate limiting and traffic monitoring to mitigate potential risks associated with denial of service attacks.