What does a denial of service (DoS) attack primarily do?

What does a denial of service (DoS) attack primarily do?

• A. Increases server capacity
• B. Provides backup for user data
• C. Floods a server with a large number of requests
• D. Secures user authentication

Answer: (C)

A denial of service (DoS) attack primarily aims to make a server or network resource unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with a large volume of requests. This flooding can consume all the server’s resources, such as bandwidth, processing power, and memory, rendering it unable to respond to legitimate requests. By inundating the target with excessive traffic, legitimate users experience service disruptions, which can lead to downtime and loss of access to services. The focus of a DoS attack is disruptive rather than supportive. When other options are considered, increasing server capacity is a defensive measure typically taken to prevent DoS attacks and handle legitimate traffic better. Providing backup for user data and securing user authentication are both essential elements of data management and security, but they do not pertain to the nature or goal of a DoS attack, which is inherently malicious and aims to disrupt services rather than protect them.

A denial of service (DoS) attack primarily aims to make a server or network resource unavailable to its intended users by overwhelming it with a large volume of requests. This flooding can consume all the server’s resources, such as bandwidth, processing power, and memory, rendering it unable to respond to legitimate requests. By inundating the target with excessive traffic, legitimate users experience service disruptions, which can lead to downtime and loss of access to services.

The focus of a DoS attack is disruptive rather than supportive. When other options are considered, increasing server capacity is a defensive measure typically taken to prevent DoS attacks and handle legitimate traffic better. Providing backup for user data and securing user authentication are both essential elements of data management and security, but they do not pertain to the nature or goal of a DoS attack, which is inherently malicious and aims to disrupt services rather than protect them.