[CM] [PB] Playbook for Incident Response to Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack

Action Steps for Threats Against a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack

The DDoS Response Playbook equips organizations to proactively prepare for and manage a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.
This playbook is a training aid for Module 2 Session 2 of the CM-300/ 5000 Implementer/ Expert Implementer Course participants to attempt the CM plan development assignment.

What Exactly is an Incident Response for a DDoS Attack?

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the regular traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of Internet traffic.

Scenario: A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack has occurred in your organisation

Action Steps for Pre-Crisis

Form a dedicated DDoS response team comprised of representatives from key departments:

• IT Security. To lead technical mitigation efforts and coordinate with DDoS mitigation providers (if applicable).
• Network Operations. To monitor network traffic and identify attack patterns.
• Public Relations. To develop communication strategies and manage media inquiries during an attack.
• Customer Support. To address customer concerns and provide updates on service availability.

Define Roles and Responsibilities

Develop a clear response plan outlining specific roles and responsibilities for each team member during a DDoS attack.  This plan should include:

• Chain of command for decision-making.
• Communication protocols for internal and external stakeholders.
• Procedures for attack detection, mitigation strategies, and service recovery.

Mitigation Strategies

• Traffic filtering and rate limiting to identify and block malicious traffic patterns.
• Redundancy and load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers and minimize the impact of an attack.
• Cloud-based DDoS mitigation services leverage the provider's infrastructure for filtering and deflecting attack traffic.

Consider conducting simulations to test your mitigation strategies and ensure their effectiveness.

Employee Training

Security Awareness Training

• Educate employees on identifying suspicious network activity, such as unusually high website traffic or slow loading times.
• Train them to report such incidents promptly to the IT security team.

Technical Safeguards

Implement Security Measures

Implement baseline security measures to strengthen your defences against DDoS attacks:

• Firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor network traffic for malicious activity.
• Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and address weaknesses in your network infrastructure.
• Maintain updated software and firmware versions on all network devices to patch known vulnerabilities.

Communication Plan Development

Internal Communication Strategy

• Develop a plan for communicating with employees during a DDoS attack.
• This may involve providing clear updates on the situation, mitigation efforts, and estimated timeframe for service restoration.

External Communication Strategy

• Develop a plan for communicating with external stakeholders (customers, media) during a DDoS attack.
• This may involve issuing public statements acknowledging the attack, outlining mitigation efforts underway, and minimizing potential reputational damage.
  

Action Steps for During-Crisis

By adhering to these detailed steps during a DDoS attack, organizations can effectively mitigate the impact on operations, maintain clear communication with stakeholders, and work towards a swift resolution.

When a DDoS attack strikes, swift action and clear communication are crucial. Here's a breakdown of the detailed steps to take during the crisis:

Rapid Detection and Assessment

Monitor Network Traffic

• Closely monitor network traffic patterns for your critical systems using pre-established baselines.
• Look for unusual spikes in traffic volume, connection requests, or specific traffic types indicative of a DDoS attack.

Confirm the Attack

• Analyze the nature of the suspicious traffic to confirm a DDoS attack is underway.
• Consider factors like the attack type (e.g., volumetric, protocol), target systems, and observed impact on performance.

Impact Assessment

• Evaluate the attack's potential impact on your critical systems and overall operations.
• Consider factors like service availability, potential revenue loss, and reputational damage.

Activate DDoS Response Team

Assemble the Team

• Immediately convene the pre-designated DDoS response team as defined in your response plan.
• Ensure all key team members are aware of the situation and prepared to execute their assigned roles.

Establish Communication Channels

• Designate a central point of contact within the response team to manage internal and external communication.
• Establish clear communication protocols for information sharing and updates within the team and with stakeholders.

Mitigation Strategies

Implement Mitigation Actions

• Traffic filtering and rate limiting to identify and block malicious traffic patterns.
• Utilizing redundancy and load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers and minimize service disruption.
• Engaging a cloud-based DDoS mitigation service provider to leverage their infrastructure for filtering and deflecting attack traffic.

Monitor Effectiveness

• Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your mitigation strategies and adjust them as needed based on the evolving attack tactics.

Communication

Internal Communication

• Provide clear and timely updates to employees regarding the DDoS attack, mitigation efforts, and estimated timeframe for service restoration.
• This helps maintain employee morale and minimize disruption to operations.

External Communication

• Consider issuing a public statement if the attack significantly impacts service availability or public perception.
• Acknowledge the attack, outline mitigation efforts, and provide estimated timeframes for service restoration.
• Be transparent and informative while minimizing potential reputational damage.

Additional Considerations

Law Enforcement

• If the attack appears to be deliberate or coordinated, consider reporting it to law enforcement agencies for assistance with the investigation.

Action Steps for Post-Crisis

By following these detailed steps after a DDoS attack, organizations can learn from the experience, strengthen their defences, and emerge better prepared to handle future attacks.  

Remember, continuously improving your DDoS response plan, employee training, and technical safeguards are crucial for maintaining a solid security posture.

Following a DDoS attack, the focus shifts towards recovery, learning, and improving your defences. Here's a breakdown of the detailed steps to take:

Post-Attack Analysis

Conduct a Review

• Convene the DDoS response team for a comprehensive post-attack review.
• Analyze the attack details (type, duration, impact), mitigation strategies' effectiveness, and communication's effectiveness.

Identify Lessons Learned

Based on the review, identify key learnings and areas for improvement in your DDoS response plan.
Consider questions like:

• Were attack detection and mitigation strategies effective?
• Were communication protocols followed efficiently?
• Were resources and support adequate for handling the attack?

Refine DDoS Response Plan

Update the Plan

• Based on the post-attack analysis, revise your DDoS response plan to address identified weaknesses.
• Update mitigation strategies based on the attack type and lessons learned.
• Refine communication protocols for internal and external stakeholders.

Team Training and Drills

• Conduct additional training for the DDoS response team on updated mitigation strategies and communication protocols.
• Consider incorporating DDoS attack simulations into your security training program to enhance team preparedness.

Improve Technical Defenses

Enhance Security Measures

Based on the attack analysis, consider implementing additional security measures to strengthen your DDoS defences.  This may involve:

• Upgrading firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with the latest capabilities.
• Addressing identified vulnerabilities in your network infrastructure through patching and configuration adjustments.
• Reviewing and potentially expanding the capabilities of your DDoS mitigation services (if applicable).

Communication and Reporting

Internal Communication

• To enhance overall security posture, share key takeaways from the post-attack analysis with relevant internal teams (IT, Security, Operations).

External Reporting

• Depending on regulatory requirements or industry best practices, consider issuing a public report on the DDoS attack.
• Focus on the attack details, mitigation efforts, and steps to improve defences.

Additional Considerations

Customer Outreach

• If the attack significantly impacted customer service, consider reaching out to apologize for the inconvenience and assure them of your commitment to maintaining service availability.

Legal Follow-up

• Consult legal counsel to explore potential legal options if the attack's origin can be identified.

Summing Up ...

Effective DDoS attack mitigation requires a multi-pronged approach. Organizations can significantly reduce the impact of an attack by proactively identifying critical systems, developing a comprehensive response plan with a trained team, and implementing robust technical safeguards.

Rapid detection, clear communication, and effective mitigation strategies are paramount during the crisis.

Finally, conducting a post-attack review, refining your response plan, and enhancing technical defences allow you to learn from the experience and emerge with a more robust security posture to face future DDoS attacks.

Click the right icon to view more Playbooks.

 

More Information About Crisis Management Courses

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the  CM-300 Crisis Management Implementer [CM-3] and the CM-5000 Crisis Management Expert Implementer [CM-5].

		Please feel free to send us a note if you have any questions.