Primary definition
A type of cyber attack designed to prevent users from accessing a network-connected service by sending simultaneous illegitimate requests from numerous sources. Data is sent to overload a network's resources.
Also known asddos · distributed DoS · network flood attack · botnet attack · traffic overload attack
1 sources cited4 related termsReviewed Aug 10, 2026
— ODNI Cyber Threats to Elections LexiconView source
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ODNI
A type of cyber attack designed to prevent users from accessing a network-connected service by sending simultaneous illegitimate requests from numerous sources. Data is sent to overload a network's resources.
ODNI Cyber Threats to Elections Lexicon · 2024
Cite this term
Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Distributed Denial Of Service (ddos) Attack. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 21, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/distributed-denial-of-service-ddos-attack
Sources
1 cited · last checked Aug 10, 2026
01
ODNI Cyber Threats to Elections Lexicon
ODNI Cyber Threats to Elections Lexicon
Single-source
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