Final answer:
A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack floods a server with data until it is unreachable. This type of cyber-attack is used by hackers to disrupt service by overloading the system with traffic, distinguishing it from phishing, spoofing, and worms.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a company's server is overwhelmed by a deluge of data to the point of becoming unreachable, this type of attack is known as a DDoS attack, which stands for Distributed Denial of Service. This method is one of the many tactics that hackers use to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of Internet traffic. It differs from a plain Denial of Service (DoS) attack in that it uses multiple compromised computer systems as sources of the attack traffic. DDoS attacks can originate from a variety of sources, and they typically exploit the vast power of a botnet a group of internet-connected devices infected with malware and controlled as a group without the owners' knowledge. Unlike other cyber-attacks like phishing, which involves tricking individuals into providing sensitive information, or spoofing, where an attacker disguises themselves as another user or device, DDoS aims to make a service unavailable. Worms, on the other hand, are malware that spread across networks without direct user interaction, unlike DDoS which is an active attack.