DDOS Attacks Equivalent to Criminal "Smash and Grabs:" Information Week

"Enterprises and governments connected to the Internet today must treat distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as an everyday occurrence. DDoS technology is not new, but unlike the old days of 'low and slow,' the current toolsets widely available to attackers allow even inexperienced users to execute sophisticated attacks with ease.

As hacker tools become easier to get in an active underground market, we will likely see the number of smash-and-grab attacks increase. Enterprises must do more to protect themselves, and be on alert for the use of DDoS attacks coupled with denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.

Attackers use DDoS as a smoke screen. This method allows them to tie up available resources, personnel, equipment, or bandwidth, in order to perpetrate a greater crime against an organization. These events cost organizations large sums of money in the form of service level agreements, service interruptions, and credit protection for clients affected by an attack against the enterprise:"

http://www.informationweek.com/infrastructure/network-security/the-ddos-smash-and-grab-be-prepared/d/d-id/1113528