Defeating DDoS attacks by fixing the incentive chain

ABSTRACT

Cooperative technological solutions for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are already available, yet organizations in the best position to implement them lack incentive to do so, and the victims of DDoS attacks cannot find effective methods to motivate them. In this article we discuss two components of the technological solutions to DDoS attacks: cooperative filtering and cooperative traffic smoothing by caching. We then analyze the broken incentive chain in each of these technological solutions. As a remedy, we propose usage-based pricing and Capacity Provision Networks, which enable victims to disseminate enough incentive along attack paths to stimulate cooperation against DDoS attacks.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.1 Public Policy Issues
          Subjects: Abuse and crime involving computers

Additional Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.4 COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY
      K.4.1 Public Policy Issues
          Subjects: Use/abuse of power
      K.4.4 Electronic Commerce
          Subjects: Payment schemes; Distributed commercial transactions; Security
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.4 System Management
          Subjects: Centralization/decentralization
      K.6.5 Security and Protection (D.4.6, K.4.2)
          Subjects: Unauthorized access (e.g., hacking, phreaking)

Keywords:
Denial-of-service, incentive, pricing, security