Breaking Down the Real Meaning of an XDR Solution
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Learn how to prevent DDoS attacks with strategies like WAFs, load balancers,
DDoS Defense with up-to-the-minute network analysis has become crucial as these attacks have disrupted network security for almost 20 years. The landscape changed dramatically in 2018 when the first multi-terabyte per second DDoS attacks crippled major organizations. GitHub experienced a massive 1.3TB/s attack that year, which dwarfed the previous record – a 602GB/s attack on the BBC just two years earlier.
The scale and complexity of these attacks keep growing, which demands an evolution in DDoS detection and response strategies. Modern defense strategies rely heavily on continuous traffic monitoring that helps security teams spot and stop threats before they inflict major damage. Organizations can use network traffic analysis to differentiate between normal traffic surges and malicious flooding attempts.
DDoS attacks keep evolving with more sophisticated methods that target critical infrastructure. Network analysts need to understand these attacks and their effects to build better defense systems through up-to-the-minute data analysis.
| Type of DDoS Attack | Description | Example / Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Volumetric Attacks | Overwhelm networks by flooding them with high volumes of traffic. | Includes UDP floods that consume all available bandwidth or resources. |
| Protocol Attacks | Exploit weaknesses in network protocols to exhaust server resources. | Targets elements like firewalls and load balancers, disrupting core systems. |
| Application-Layer Attacks (Layer 7) | Mimic legitimate user behavior to overload application servers. | Require fewer resources but can still cause major disruption by sending many valid-looking requests. |
Several key signs point to an ongoing DDoS attack:
Live monitoring is the heartbeat of DDoS defense. Security teams need the ability to distinguish normal from suspicious traffic in real time.
Flow-based DDoS detection paired with templated exports like NetFlow v9 balances accuracy and performance.
Machine learning builds baseline profiles of normal traffic. Behavioral analytics automatically flags deviations—whether sudden traffic bursts or unusual connection patterns.
By connecting traffic anomalies with host activity, analysts can distinguish genuine events (like software updates) from actual attacks. This correlation is key for automated DDoS defense.
Unlike traditional Deep Packet Inspection, Fidelis Network® uses Deep Session Inspection (DSI) to reconstruct full communication sessions.
Benefits include:
DSI allows real-time network analysis to deliver actionable insights fast critical for effective DDoS attack mitigation.
DDoS attack detection is just the first step. Your automated response needs well-configured alerts and defensive tools to work properly. Quick action becomes vital when your detection systems spot suspicious traffic patterns to reduce damage.
Live alerting systems are the foundation of automated DDoS defense. You should set up notifications to reach you within a minute when potential L3/4 and L7 DDoS attacks target your internet properties. These quick warnings let security teams start their response protocols early.
Well-configured DDoS algorithms can send alarms through several channels:
These notifications should include useful details like attack destination, ports and protocols involved, number of attacking hosts, and which network equipment spotted the problem.
The next defensive step focuses on isolating malicious traffic after spotting attack sources. Security platforms can create detailed lists of attacker IP addresses in text files or CSV format. This helps speed up blackholing operations. Each export has one IP address per line and updates automatically every 30 minutes. Your defenses stay current against new threats this way.
Your DDoS protection needs detection systems and defensive infrastructure to work together smoothly. Application Load Balancers block many common DDoS attacks like SYN floods and UDP reflection attacks. They keep your applications safe. Next-Generation Firewalls add another layer of protection against complex attacks when paired with load balancers.
Extended Detection and Response (XDR) systems strengthen this protection. They spot attack warning signs and help reduce underlying problems. XDRs gather and study both live and past security events. This gives them strong log collection abilities and advanced analytics across different data sources.
Fidelis Network® takes DDoS defense further with automated risk-aware terrain mapping and patented traffic analysis tools. The solution watches all ports and protocols inside your network. It constantly looks for unusual behavior and potential security threats. This deep visibility helps security teams automate threat detection and response. The time between finding and stopping attacks drops a lot.
DDoS defense strategy needs more than just technical setup to work well. Fidelis Network® has changed how organizations shield themselves against sophisticated attacks by using smart deployment and powerful visualization tools.
Your DDoS defense needs complete visibility of your assets’ location. Fidelis Network® blends naturally with on-premises data centers, private clouds, and public cloud platforms. This united approach closes visibility gaps that attackers love to exploit. The protection extends to remote locations, and Fidelis Network® brings all assets into a complete “Network Terrain” that shows your entire distributed enterprise.
The platform copies traffic patterns across multiple sites to keep threat detection consistent. Organizations can support hybrid setups where applications and data live in different places – a vital feature as companies spread their infrastructure more widely.
Security teams often struggle with too many alerts and scattered visibility. Fidelis Network® solves these issues with its united threat dashboard that shows security details from every environment in one place. This approach lets analysts:
The platform gives SOC teams better control of their security by providing detailed alerts that speed up their work and response times.
Past data are the foundations of good DDoS defense. Fidelis Network® gathers and keeps session-level metadata to create detailed pictures of normal network behavior. These baselines get better over time and help spot even tiny changes that might signal an attack.
The platform uses advanced machine learning to build traffic profiles from past patterns. This helps find unusual activities more accurately. Your organization stays ready for new threats by adjusting defenses based on how attacks change and evolve.
DDoS attacks are evolving rapidly and present serious risks to organizations across critical sectors. Real-time network analysis has become the foundation of effective DDoS defense, allowing security teams to differentiate between legitimate traffic surges and malicious flooding attempts before significant damage occurs.
Strong protection starts with a well-configured infrastructure. Key setup components like:
help establish a solid base for quick and accurate threat detection.
This detection capability then feeds into an active defense strategy—enabling live alerts, automated IP blacklisting, and seamless integration with existing security systems.
Fidelis Network® plays a central role in this strategy through its patented Deep Session Inspection (DSI) technology. Unlike traditional packet-based methods, DSI reconstructs entire communication sessions, offering visibility into encrypted traffic and identifying advanced, hidden threats that might otherwise go undetected.
SOC teams are under constant pressure to defend against increasingly complex attacks. Fidelis Network® supports them with:
The platform continuously learns from traffic behavior, making your defense more adaptive and forward-looking.
As DDoS attacks grow in frequency and sophistication, your security strategy must evolve too. Fidelis Network® delivers the visibility, automation, and speed required to protect your critical assets in today’s high-stakes cyber landscape—empowering your teams to stay ahead of next-generation threats.
See Fidelis in action. Learn how our fast and scalable platforms provide full visibility, deep insights, and rapid response to help security teams across the World protect, detect, respond, and neutralize advanced cyber adversaries.