AWS Shield for DDoS protection - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - AWS Shield for DDoS protection

Traffic arrives at AWS

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AWS Shield detects traffic pattern

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Is traffic normal?

No→Activate DDoS mitigation

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Mitigate attack

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Allow traffic

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Traffic reaches resources

AWS Shield monitors incoming traffic, detects unusual patterns, and activates protection to block DDoS attacks before traffic reaches your resources.

Execution Sample

AWS

1. Traffic arrives at AWS endpoint
2. AWS Shield analyzes traffic
3. If attack detected, mitigation starts
4. Normal traffic allowed
5. Attack traffic blocked

This flow shows how AWS Shield processes incoming traffic to protect resources from DDoS attacks.

Process Table

Step	Traffic Pattern	Detection Result	Action Taken	Effect on Traffic
1	Normal traffic	No attack detected	Allow traffic	Traffic passes to resources
2	Sudden traffic spike	Potential DDoS detected	Activate mitigation	Attack traffic blocked
3	Attack traffic continues	Mitigation active	Continue blocking	Only normal traffic allowed
4	Traffic normalizes	Attack ends	Stop mitigation	All traffic allowed
5	Normal traffic	No attack detected	Allow traffic	Traffic passes to resources

💡 Traffic is allowed only when no attack is detected or after mitigation ends

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4	Final
Traffic Pattern	None	Normal	Spike detected	Attack ongoing	Normalizing	Normal
Detection Result	None	No attack	Attack detected	Mitigation active	Attack ended	No attack
Action Taken	None	Allow	Activate mitigation	Block attack	Stop mitigation	Allow
Effect on Traffic	None	Pass	Block attack traffic	Block attack traffic	Pass all	Pass

Key Moments - 3 Insights

How does AWS Shield decide when to activate mitigation?

AWS Shield analyzes traffic patterns each step; when a sudden spike or unusual pattern is detected (see Step 2 in execution_table), it activates mitigation to block attack traffic.

What happens to normal traffic during an active DDoS attack?

During mitigation (Step 3), AWS Shield blocks only attack traffic and allows normal traffic to pass through, ensuring service availability.

When does AWS Shield stop the mitigation process?

Once the attack traffic ends and traffic normalizes (Step 4), AWS Shield stops mitigation and allows all traffic again.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the Detection Result at Step 2?

A Potential DDoS detected

B No attack detected

C Mitigation active

D Attack ended

💡 Hint

Check the 'Detection Result' column for Step 2 in the execution_table.

At which step does AWS Shield stop mitigation?

A Step 2

B Step 4

C Step 3

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Action Taken' column to find when mitigation stops.

If traffic never spikes, how would the 'Action Taken' column change?

A Mitigation activates at Step 3

B Mitigation activates at Step 1

C Mitigation never activates

D Mitigation activates at Step 5

💡 Hint

Refer to the 'Traffic Pattern' and 'Action Taken' columns to see when mitigation activates.

Concept Snapshot

AWS Shield protects AWS resources from DDoS attacks.
It monitors incoming traffic continuously.
When attack patterns appear, it activates mitigation.
Mitigation blocks attack traffic but allows normal traffic.
After attack ends, mitigation stops and all traffic flows normally.

Full Transcript

AWS Shield is a service that protects your AWS resources from DDoS attacks by monitoring incoming traffic. When traffic arrives, AWS Shield checks if the pattern is normal or suspicious. If it detects a potential attack, it activates mitigation to block harmful traffic while allowing normal users through. Once the attack ends and traffic returns to normal, AWS Shield stops mitigation and lets all traffic pass. This process helps keep your applications available and responsive even during attacks.