I got my first DDoS (and what you can do to help prevent it)

Web Dev Cody2 minutes read

The speaker faced unexpected AWS costs due to excessive traffic from Cloudfront, potentially stemming from a DDoS attack on the icon generator application, prompting the implementation of AWS WAF for protection despite additional costs. Although AWS Shield Standard likely mitigated the surge in requests, the speaker still received a $260 bill, stressing the importance of protective measures like WAF and Shield to prevent costly incidents like DDoS attacks.

Insights

  • The speaker faced unexpected costs due to exceeding the budget while using AWS and SST for deploying Next.js applications, emphasizing the importance of monitoring expenses closely in cloud services.
  • The incident with Cloudfront highlighted the critical role of implementing AWS WAF for protection against sudden spikes in traffic, showcasing the necessity of proactive measures to safeguard against potential DDoS attacks and associated costs.

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Recent questions

  • How did the speaker exceed their AWS budget for deploying Next.js applications?

    The speaker exceeded their budget due to a bill of $269, primarily from Cloudfront charges.

  • What caused the sudden surge in requests within the Cloudfront icon generator application?

    The surge in requests within the Cloudfront icon generator application may indicate a DDoS attack.

  • What additional costs are involved in using AWS WAF for protection?

    Using AWS WAF for protection incurs additional costs beyond the standard services.

  • How did AWS Shield Standard intervene during the surge in requests incident?

    AWS Shield Standard likely intervened to stop the surge in requests despite incurring charges.

  • What alternative hosting options did the speaker consider to mitigate risks?

    The speaker considered VPS as an alternative hosting option to mitigate risks associated with costly incidents like DDoS attacks.

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Summary

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"Mitigating AWS Costs with WAF Protection"

  • The speaker uses AWS and SST for deploying Next.js applications, setting a budget of $10 but receiving a bill of $269 due to exceeding the budget.
  • Cloudfront incurred a significant charge of almost $260, primarily from over 207 million requests in the US East region and over a terabyte of bandwidth.
  • The excessive traffic was traced back to the icon generator application within Cloudfront, which experienced a sudden surge in requests, possibly indicating a DDoS attack.
  • Implementing AWS WAF for protection, the speaker set up rate limiting rules to block excessive requests, highlighting the additional costs involved in using WAF.
  • The speaker reflects on the necessity of WAF and Shield protection on AWS to prevent costly incidents like DDoS attacks, considering alternative hosting options like VPS to mitigate risks.
  • AWS Shield Standard, offering free DDoS protection for common attacks, likely intervened to stop the surge in requests, despite the speaker still incurring a $260 charge for the incident.
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