What characterizes a DDoS attack?

A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is characterized by an attempt to make a service unavailable by overwhelming it with a flood of illegitimate traffic. In this type of attack, multiple systems (often compromised devices or "botnets") generate a high volume of requests aimed at a target, such as a web server or network resource, leading to resource exhaustion. The goal is to disrupt normal service functionality, making it inaccessible to legitimate users.

This concept is central to understanding DDoS attacks, as they exploit vulnerabilities in network infrastructure and application performance. By saturating the bandwidth or overloading the resources of the target, attackers can effectively shut down or severely cripple the service, illustrating the core intention behind such attacks—unavailability.

In contrast, other options do not accurately capture the essence of a DDoS attack. A single point of traffic overload refers to a situation where one specific point (like a single server) is overwhelmed, which does not reflect the distributed nature of DDoS attacks. Data encryption is a method of securing information, unrelated to denial of service tactics. Enhancing website performance is focused on improving responsiveness and speed, which is in direct opposition to the intent behind a DDoS attack.