"DDoS" stands for Distributed Denial of Service, a form of cybersecurity threat where multiple compromised systems are used to flood a target system or network with excessive traffic. This overwhelming influx of data can render the target unable to fulfill legitimate requests, leading to significant downtime and potential data breaches. DDoS attacks can be launched through botnets—a network of infected devices controlled by a single entity—making them particularly challenging to mitigate. Organizations often employ various security measures and services to defend against such attacks.