No matter how prepared any business is regarding prevention and protection from malicious denial of service attacks, it is unfortunate (and understandable) that a lot of that preparation tends to get thrown out the window as soon as the attack happens. A DDoS attack can be terrifying for any business because of how quickly things can go downhill.
If the signs of an impending attack remain unnoticed for too long, it can be overwhelming when all of the traffic finally smashes against your servers – but that doesn’t mean the battle is lost. Here are a few important guidelines you can follow in the event of a DDoS attack.
No matter what happens, don’t panic.
When the wall of the company feelslike they’re going to collapse under the pressure of a denial of service attack, it can be hard to keep calm. However, a chaotic situation will never right itself with more chaos. The most important thing to do in the event of an attack is to keep your cool, and make level-headed decisions. This does not just apply to the higher-ups either; if everyone keeps a level head, half the battle is already won.
Analyze the problem – don’t make hasty decisions.
This is an even more difficult guideline to follow than simply keeping a level head, but it is absolutely crucial if you are going to have any hope at all of properly neutralizing the attack. Keep in mind that any big change to the system is not going to fix anything here – it will only serve to make things more complicated later on. Always make your decisions with the policies of your company in mind. If there are going to be adjustments made, ensure that these decisions are not ones made out of desperation.
Get everyone who you believe can help together in a single room.
Now more than ever, it is important that you bounce ideas with the people in the company who you believe can make a difference. Time might be of the essence but as the guideline above states, hasty decisions will only lead to a bigger mess. Set up an emergency meeting in your biggest conference room, ensuring that everyone is calm as they can be before you can begin. Don’t forget the snacks!
Make sure that everything about the DDoS attack is properly documented.
One of the best things you can do in the event of a DDoS attack is to document everything as best as you can. Have a team of people do everything they possibly can to get their hands on any record (graphs, emails, reports) that has to do with the attack. It is also recommended to create a proper timeline so you don’t feel lost.
Following these guidelines to the letter, it should only be a matter of time until the DDoS attack is completely neutralized. Aside from these guidelines, make sure that you have steady communications with your ISP as they may be able to ease the situation somewhat. Think of using third party services such as those being offered by Fireblade to provide protection not only in the event of a DDoS attack, but also reduces the overall risk of being attacked in the first place.
