Sorry, I appreciate this is an old post but I’ve just seen a Netlify customer on Reddit who is running a site that gets circa 200 users per day get hit by a DDoS attack. As a result the subsequent bill from Netlify is $100k+
He is using the free tier, so that may be a factor.
As a Pro Team Plan customer I’d like to understand if this is a danger for us? Having asked the AI Chatbot about this it states the following, which to me reads like this shouldn’t happen and that there are protections in place but I’d like clarification from the Netlify team as this situation is deeply worrying
Chatbot response:
Netlify provides comprehensive DDoS protection to ensure your site remains available and secure, even in the face of malicious attacks. Here’s an overview of how Netlify safeguards your site from Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks:
Proactive DDoS Monitoring
Netlify actively monitors for DDoS attacks. The platform’s global infrastructure and automated DDoS protection mechanisms are designed to keep your site up and running, regardless of the attack intensity.
Automatic Detection and Mitigation
Netlify’s system automatically detects DDoS attacks and takes immediate action to mitigate them. This includes rate limiting and blocking malicious clients from connecting to sites hosted on Netlify’s servers. The edge network plays a crucial role in preventing these malicious clients from impacting network performance. Key features include:
- Global Load Balancing: Traffic is strategically routed among many servers. Netlify manages these servers to ensure capacity scales as needed.
- Automatic DDoS Detection: The system identifies anomalous clients that pose a risk to your site’s availability.
- Automatic Rate Limiting & Blocking: Attacks are mitigated by rate limiting and blocking identified malicious clients.
Customizable Traffic Control
For additional protection and control, you can configure your own traffic rules. This allows you to block traffic or only allow traffic from specific geographic locations or IP addresses, which can be particularly useful if you have insights into the origin of the attack. More information on configuring traffic rules can be found in the Firewall Traffic Rules documentation.
Monitoring Site Traffic
To keep an eye on your site’s traffic and potentially identify malicious patterns, you can use Log Drains. This feature enables you to monitor site traffic effectively.
Netlify’s approach to DDoS protection is designed to be both proactive and reactive, ensuring that your site remains secure and available even under attack. For more detailed information on Netlify’s DDoS protection and other security features, you can refer to the Security Overview documentation.