Distributed Spam Distraction, or DSD, is a somewhat more sophisticated cyberattack which could be employed by threat actors to take volatile data from businesses. It’s no simple spam, such as flooding your inbox with substanceless emails, DSD takes a more covert strategy. Below, we’ll discuss how these cyberattacks work, their mechanisms, and finally methods you can employ to combat it.
How DSD Works
Malicious individuals wishing to use a DSD attack employ various tactics. A commonly seen approach is distributing the spam load across a large number of source addresses. By only sending trace amounts of spam from a myriad of sources, they avoid raising much suspicion on each device. This technique is dubbed “snowshoe spamming”, because analogously, it’s meant to distribute a larger load across multiple points to minimize getting caught.
Another strategy which falls under DSD is getting ahold of compromised computers or botnets. Would-be spammers can hijack a network of already infected computers and use their addressing and hardware for their desired activity. Not only does this approach make detection more difficult due to the nature of the devices, it also increases the volume of spam that attackers are able to put out.
Spammers can also use techniques that allows their spam to mimic legitimate email traffic, which makes it harder for spam filters to distinguish between real and spam messages. All of these techniques, used in the right areas, makes for a very good chance of spam slipping through.
Consequences of a DSD Attack
DSD is known to disrupt normal business operations, drain network resources, and erode trust placed in digital communication. This leads to financial loss, unauthorized access to sensitive data, identity theft, and sometimes the compromising of entire networks.
Safeguarding Against DSD
There are multiple methods one could use to mitigate a DSD attack. More advanced spam filters are available, some of which employ machine learning algorithms and behavioral techniques that can identify the characteristics and patterns that are associated with spamming. Filters like these are adaptable to new spamming techniques, and are thus constantly improving their detection accuracy.
Effective collaboration and the sharing of information among organizations and security experts is critical in combating DSD. By always sharing cybersecurity insights and best practices, organizations can stay updated on emerging cyberattack techniques and pool their resources to develop countermeasures.
Additionally, educating users and making them aware also plays a vital role. Individuals should always be cautious when putting their email addresses up for viewing, be knowledgeable about what a suspicious link looks like (and avoid clicking them), and be cautious about downloading attachments from untrusted sources. Businesses should always stay up-to-date on their security software as well.
By understanding DSD, and other cyberattack techniques like it, organizations like yours can minimize the risk of having sensitive information stolen. For help in updating security software, employee awareness, and best practices for your industry, consider filling out expertIT’s contact page.