DDoS Attack Types Explained: Volumetric, Protocol, and Application Layer Attacks

This report explains the three main DDoS categories—volumetric (Layer 3), protocol (Layer 4), and application (Layer 7)—how each works, and why different mitigation approaches are required; it uses Red Button simulation findings and case studies to show common failures (notably with Layer 7 and multi-vector attacks) and recommends comprehensive testing to validate defenses.