What characterizes a DDoS attack?

A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is characterized by its use of multiple systems to overwhelm a target, making option B the correct choice. In a DDoS attack, the perpetrator directs a multitude of compromised computers, often part of a botnet, to send a flood of traffic to a specific target, such as a website or server. This flood of requests can make the service unavailable to legitimate users by exhausting resources or bandwidth, thereby causing significant disruption.

The key aspect that distinguishes a DDoS attack from a DoS (Denial of Service) attack is the distribution across many systems, which amplifies the attack's impact and makes it more difficult to mitigate. By involving many devices, the attack can generate traffic levels far beyond what a single system could produce, which is crucial for its effectiveness.

Other choices describe different types of attacks or security threats. For instance, using a single system to flood a target refers to a traditional DoS attack, while accessing a target network illegally pertains to unauthorized network access rather than service denial. Intercepting data transmitted over the internet relates to eavesdropping or man-in-the-middle attacks, which do not specifically involve overwhelming a service. These distinctions clarify why option B accurately