0
0
HLDsystem_design~12 mins

DDoS protection strategies in HLD - Architecture Diagram

Choose your learning style9 modes available
LearnWhyDeepArchPracticeChallengeDesignRecallScale
System Overview - DDoS protection strategies

This system protects a web service from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. It ensures legitimate users can access the service even when attackers try to overwhelm it with fake traffic. Key requirements include filtering malicious traffic, maintaining service availability, and scaling to handle large attack volumes.

Architecture Diagram
Internet
↓
CDN / WAF
↓
Load Balancer
↓
API Gateway
↓
Application Servers
↓
Cache
↓
Database
↓
Traffic Analyzer
Components
User
client
End user accessing the web service
Internet
network
Public network carrying all traffic
CDN / WAF
security_gateway
Filters malicious traffic, blocks known attack patterns, caches static content
Load Balancer
load_balancer
Distributes incoming requests evenly to backend servers
API Gateway
api_gateway
Manages API requests, enforces rate limiting and authentication
Application Servers
service
Processes business logic and user requests
Cache
cache
Stores frequently accessed data to reduce database load
Database
database
Stores persistent data
Traffic Analyzer
monitoring_service
Analyzes traffic patterns to detect anomalies and potential attacks
Message Queue
queue
Buffers alerts and scaling commands asynchronously
Auto Scaling Controller
scaling_service
Automatically adjusts server capacity based on traffic load
Request Flow - 14 Hops
User → Internet
Internet → CDN / WAF
CDN / WAF → Load Balancer
Load Balancer → API Gateway
API Gateway → Application Servers
Application Servers → Cache
Cache → Application Servers
Application Servers → Database
Database → Application Servers
Application Servers → User
CDN / WAF → Traffic Analyzer
Traffic Analyzer → Message Queue
Message Queue → Auto Scaling Controller
Auto Scaling Controller → Application Servers
Failure Scenario
Component Fails:CDN / WAF
Impact:Malicious traffic is no longer filtered, increasing risk of service overload and downtime. Legitimate traffic may also be slowed or blocked incorrectly.
Mitigation:Use multiple CDN/WAF providers with failover. Implement rate limiting and filtering at API Gateway as backup. Monitor traffic closely to detect attacks early.
Architecture Quiz - 3 Questions
Test your understanding
Which component first filters out malicious traffic in this architecture?
ACDN / WAF
BLoad Balancer
CAPI Gateway
DTraffic Analyzer
Design Principle
This architecture uses layered defense to protect against DDoS attacks. Early filtering by CDN/WAF reduces load on backend. Rate limiting at API Gateway adds protection. Traffic analysis and auto scaling help detect and respond to attacks dynamically, ensuring availability and scalability.