<b>Why is DDoS Protection Important to All Businesses?</b>

If you're unaware, one of the most popular ways hackers are attacking businesses of all sizes is through DDoS attacks. DDoS stands for distributed denial-of-service. This type of attack can take down any unprotected server, at any business, at any time.

Experts believe the headlines in 2014 will feature many different DDoS attacks from hackers. They have stated DDoS protection is one of the most important things any online business can have and the sooner it's implemented, the better.

<b>From Banks to Gaming Sites to Small Businesses and More!</b>

Attacks have already happened in many industries and have cost some companies tens of thousands of dollars. Each DDoS attack can lead to nearly an hour of downtime, which means customers cannot access your website. Hackers have timed these attacks to hit businesses at the absolute worst time.

In September of 2013, the first attacks hit a few of the major banks including:
<ul>
	<li>JPMorgan Chase</li>
	<li>U.S. Bancorp</li>
	<li>PNC Bank</li>
	<li>Bank of America</li>
	<li>Wells Fargo</li>
	<li>And Many Others!</li>
</ul>
These attacks made it impossible for customers to perform financial transactions as banking website went down and IT professionals scrambled to figure out how to fix it. It was much like a "Cyber Pearl Harbor" and caused many issues.

The banking industry wasn't the end of the attacks, however. Gaming sites, retail sites and many others were attacked during some of the most profitable shopping days of the year. Some lost over $20,000 simply because they ignored the warnings about getting DDoS protection.

<b>A Few Things the DDoS Attacks have Revealed</b>

Through these attacks, the online business world has learned many things. Some of the things revealed include:
<ul>
	<li>DDoS Attacks are Quickly Becoming Very Dangerous</li>
	<li>These Attacks are Becoming a Favorite for Hackers</li>
	<li>Who's responsible Doesn't Matter as Much as Knowing it can be done</li>
	<li>Companies have seen their Reputation Suffer Due to these Attacks</li>
	<li>Traditional DDoS Protection hasn't helped</li>
	<li>Smaller Businesses are not Targeted as much, but remain more Vulnerable</li>
	<li>Holistic DDoS Protection is Vital for ALL Online Businesses Moving Forward</li>
</ul>
These are just a few of the many things revealed and regular DDoS protection won't cut it. With the ability of one hacker, using one DDoS attack, businesses could suffer or crumble altogether.

<b>The Reality of DDoS Attacks and Protection</b>

Larger businesses may only suffer a little bit and may be able to absorb losing tens of thousands of dollars in new customers, along with shelling out even more to fix the issue. However, medium to small businesses could lose their entire livelihood due to one DDoS attack.

These attacks can come from any hacker with the right tools and knowledge. Whether it's a competitor using dirty tricks, an upset former customer or just some bored student looking to cause chaos, the reality is, if you don't have proper DDoS protection, you're vulnerable to an attack.

<b>How do you get High-Quality DDoS Protection?</b>

Finding DDoS protection isn't hard, but if you employ the wrong company to handle this type of protection you may be sorry. There are a few key things to look for when protecting your business:
<ul>
	<li>Log-in Security</li>
	<li>Network Visibility</li>
	<li>Real-time Analytics</li>
	<li>Access from Mobile Devices</li>
	<li>Data Refresh Rate</li>
	<li>DDoS Forensics and Intelligence</li>
</ul>
These are the six keys to good DDoS protection and you want to look for a robust defense with the ability to protect you from any DDoS attack.

With DDoS protection that provides up-to-the minute visibility, real-time analytics and a look at the DDoS activity all around the world, you will be able to sleep at night knowing your business is protected.

<b>It Won't Happen to You</b>

Too often, we get sucked into the mentality that the bad things won't happen to us, until they do. Nobody thinks their house will catch on fire or they will get mugs in a small town. Sixteen-year olds never think they will get pulled over for speeding. Don't take this approach when it comes to your online business.

The cost of DDoS protection doesn't have to break your business budget, but not protecting your website could. If you're attacked by a hacker using a DDoS attack, it could cost you tens of thousands of dollars, ruin your reputation and cause you all kinds of issues. DDoS protection is worth every penny you spend for the monthly to avoid seeing your business take a huge hit because of a hacker.