In the realm of cybersecurity, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have emerged as one of the most pervasive threats, with DNS amplification attacks being particularly insidious. These attacks exploit the Domain Name System (DNS), leveraging its open nature to amplify the volume of traffic directed at a target, often overwhelming its resources and rendering it inaccessible. For network administrators, understanding and mitigating DNS amplification attacks is crucial to maintaining the integrity and availability of network services. This article delves into the best practices for mitigating these attacks, providing actionable insights for network administrators.

Understanding DNS Amplification Attacks

DNS amplification attacks are a subset of DDoS attacks where the attacker uses the DNS system to flood a target with a large amount of traffic. The attack exploits the fact that DNS queries are much smaller than the responses. An attacker sends a DNS query with a spoofed IP address (the address of the target) to an open DNS resolver. The resolver then responds with a much larger DNS response to the spoofed IP address, thereby amplifying the traffic directed at the target. The amplification factor can be significant, with responses being up to 100 times larger than the original queries.

Best Practices for Mitigating DNS Amplification Attacks

1. Implement Rate Limiting

One of the fundamental strategies to mitigate DNS amplification attacks is to implement rate limiting on DNS servers. By restricting the number of queries a DNS server can respond to within a certain timeframe, administrators can reduce the potential for amplification. Rate limiting helps to ensure that even if an attack is initiated, its impact is minimized.

2. Use DNS Response Rate Limiting (RRL)

DNS Response Rate Limiting (RRL) is a specific technique that limits the number of identical responses sent by a DNS server to clients. RRL helps in preventing a single query from being repeatedly used to generate a large volume of traffic. This technique can be particularly effective in mitigating DNS amplification attacks, as it directly addresses the method attackers use to amplify traffic.

3. Employ Anycast Routing

Anycast routing is a network addressing and routing methodology where the same IP address is assigned to multiple servers in different locations. When a DNS request is made, it is routed to the nearest server in the Anycast network. This method can disperse the traffic load, reducing the impact of a DDoS attack on any single server. Anycast not only improves the resilience of DNS infrastructure but also enhances the overall performance of DNS resolution.

4. Secure Open Resolvers

Open DNS resolvers are the primary tools used in DNS amplification attacks. Network administrators should ensure that DNS resolvers are not open to the public. Instead, resolvers should be configured to only respond to queries from trusted sources. This can be achieved through firewall rules, access control lists (ACLs), and proper DNS server configuration.

5. Monitor Network Traffic

Continuous monitoring of network traffic is essential for early detection and mitigation of DNS amplification attacks. By analyzing traffic patterns, administrators can identify unusual spikes in DNS query traffic that may indicate an ongoing attack. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) can be invaluable tools in this regard, providing real-time alerts and automated responses to potential threats.

6. Implement Web Filtering Solutions

Web filtering solutions can play a significant role in mitigating DNS amplification attacks by preventing malicious traffic from reaching DNS servers in the first place. By blocking known malicious domains and IP addresses, web filtering helps reduce the risk of DNS servers being exploited in amplification attacks. Additionally, web filtering can protect end-users from accessing compromised sites, further enhancing network security.

7. Leverage DNSSEC

Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) add an additional layer of security to the DNS by enabling DNS responses to be validated. DNSSEC helps prevent cache poisoning and other DNS-related attacks. While DNSSEC does not directly prevent amplification attacks, it contributes to a more secure DNS infrastructure, making it harder for attackers to manipulate DNS data.

8. Employ Network Firewalls and DDoS Mitigation Services

Network firewalls and specialized DDoS mitigation services can provide robust protection against DNS amplification attacks. These solutions can filter out malicious traffic before it reaches DNS servers, reducing the impact of an attack. DDoS mitigation services, in particular, use advanced techniques to detect and mitigate large-scale attacks, ensuring the availability of network resources.

9. Educate and Train Network Staff

Continuous education and training of network staff are vital for maintaining a strong security posture. Network administrators should be well-versed in the latest attack vectors and mitigation techniques. Regular training sessions and drills can help ensure that the team is prepared to respond effectively to DNS amplification attacks and other cybersecurity threats.

Conclusion

DNS amplification attacks pose a significant threat to network availability and integrity. However, with a comprehensive approach that includes rate limiting, RRL, Anycast routing, securing open resolvers, network traffic monitoring, web filtering solutions, DNSSEC, and robust firewall and DDoS mitigation strategies, network administrators can effectively mitigate these attacks. Additionally, continuous education and training of network staff are essential to staying ahead of emerging threats.

By implementing these best practices, network administrators can protect their infrastructure from the devastating effects of DNS amplification attacks, ensuring the continuous availability and reliability of their network services. In an era where cyber threats are constantly evolving, staying vigilant and proactive is the key to maintaining robust network security.

The user-friendly interface of SQL Server and rich collection of easy-to-use administration tools coming with the product, makes it one of the most popular DBMS in the world. At the same time, SQL Server has two valuable issues that could force users to migrate from SQL Server to Postgres. This issues includes:

• Strict licensing policies
• High cost of ownership depending on database volume, number of servers, etc
• Lack of full support for SQL standard

On the way of cutting down the total cost of ownership it is reasonable to evaluate open-source database management systems: SQLite, MySQL and PostgreSQL.

SQLite is known as a self-contained DBMS designed for integration into applications (including mobile devices), and so it cannot be used as a reliable data warehouse in the multi-user environment that could be an alternative for SQL Server.

The MySQL is more robust and it offers standard capabilities that are expected from a sophisticated database such as: scalability, security, different storage engines and others. At the same time, MySQL still has some cons:

• Poor support for the full text search
• Lack of full compatibility with the SQL standard
• Inferior support for indexing models and parallel writing in some storage engines

The final option – PostgreSQL is the full featured advanced RDBMS that complies with SQL standard and provides all capabilities required for high-load corporate scale data warehouse such as built-in job scheduler, multi-version concurrency control, sophisticated partitioning and sharding and many others.

The effective database migration from SQL Server to Postgres is usually occurred according to the following steps:

• export SQL Server schema definitions as data definition language (DDL) statements CREATE TABLE table_name (columns)
• convert them to the PostgreSQL format and load into the target data7base
• export the source SQL Server data into intermediate CSV storage
• convert data to the PostgreSQL format and load into the target database.
• export views, stored procedures, functions and triggers in form of T-SQL script

SQL Server to Postgres Schema Migration

To Extract SQL Server table definitions right-click on database in SSMS, then click on Tasks, Generate Scripts. In the General section click “Advanced” on the “Set scripting options” tab, select “data only” or “data and schema” for “Types of data to script”.

Correct the resulting DDL scripts before loading it into PostgreSQL database:

• remove SQL Server specific statements (i.e. “SET ANSI_NULLS ON”, “SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON”, “SET ANSI_PADDING ON”)
• replace SQL Server escape symbols for object names (square brackets) by PostgreSQL equivalent double quotes
• replace SQL Server default schema “dbo” by PostgreSQL “public”
• remove all keywords that are not supported by PostgreSQL (“WITH NOCHECK”, “CLUSTERED”, etc)
• convert types “INT IDENTITY(…)” and “BIGINT IDENTITY(…)” into SERIAL and BIGSERIAL correspondingly
• carefully map all non-supported data types into PostgreSQL equivalents on the range of acceptable values (“DATETIME” becomes “TIMESTAMP”, “MONEY” becomes NUMERIC(19,4), etc)
• change the SQL Server query terminator “GO” with the PostgreSQL one “;”

SQL Server to Postgres Data Migration 

The next step is to migrate the SQL Server data to PostgreSQL via temporary storage in comma-separated values (CSV) format. Export of SQL Server data into CSV files can be done via SQL Management Studio as follows:

• Right-click on database, then click Tasks, Export Data
• Go through the wizard and select “Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server” as data source, and “Flat File Destination” as destination.

As soon as the export is finalized, the SQL Server data will be stored in CSV files. If some table contains binary data, it required a workaround for correct conversion. Click on the “Write a query to specify the data to transfer” option after going through the wizard page of SQL Management Studio. On the next wizard page known as “Provide a Source Query”, create the following SELECT-query:

select <non-binary field1>, <non-binary field2>, …, cast(master.sys.fn_varbintohexstr(cast(<binary field> as varbinary(max))) as varchar(max)) as <binary field name> from <table name>

After SQL Server data is exported into CSV forma, you can use COPY command to load it into PostgreSQL table as follows: COPY <table name> FROM <path to csv file> DELIMITER ‘,’ CSV;

SQL Server to Postgres Converter

The series of actions mentioned above implies that the database migration from SQL Server to Postgres is an advanced procedure requires a much time and efforts. Manual implementation of the migration is expensive and may result to data loss or corruption due to human errors.

Fortunately, there are many software solutions which can migrate database handling all required transformation between the two DBMS in a couple of clicks. One of these solutions is SQL Server to Postgres migration tool by Intelligent Converters, a software vendor, who specializes in database conversion and synchronization techniques since 2001.

Due to implementation of low-level reading and writing techniques for both the source and target DBMS instead of using ODBC drivers or other middleware, this SQL Server to Postgres converter offers a high performance of the database migration. The product supports all modern versions SQL Server and Postgres running on both on-premises and cloud platforms. It migrates schemas, data, indexes, constraints and views. Finally, the converter supports command line arguments that enables scripting, automation and scheduling of the migration.

In an era of streaming services and digital media, binge-watching has become a common pastime. However, opinions on its effects are often polarized. Is it simply an innocent guilty pleasure, or does it pose significant health risks? Let’s dive into the world of binge-watching to explore its potential pitfalls and unexpected benefits.

What is Binge-Watching?

Binge-watching refers to the practice of watching multiple episodes of a TV series or an entire movie franchise in one sitting. It’s become increasingly popular with the rise of streaming platforms that release full seasons of shows at once, making it easy to watch episode after episode without interruption.

The Negatives of Binge-Watching

It’s no secret that binge-watching can have negative effects on both physical and mental health. Spending long hours in front of a screen can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, contributing to obesity and related health issues. It can also interfere with sleep patterns, especially if one stays up late to finish a series.

Moreover, binge-watching can become addictive, with viewers spending excessive time watching TV at the expense of social interactions, exercise, and other productive activities. This can lead to feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety over time.

The Positives of Binge-Watching

On the other hand, binge-watching isn’t all doom and gloom. It can serve as a stress-reliever, providing an escape from daily pressures and a source of entertainment. Immersing oneself in a compelling series can stimulate the imagination, promote relaxation, and even boost mood.

Furthermore, binge-watching can promote social bonding. Friends or family members can watch a series together, fostering a shared experience and facilitating discussions about plot twists, characters, and theories.

The Role of Home Movies in Binge-Watching

Home movies offer another avenue for binge-watching, with a twist. These personal films, often viewed on vintage film projectors, capture cherished family memories and milestones. Watching these movies can evoke nostalgia, promote family bonding, and provide a sense of continuity and identity.

On the flip side, binge-watching home movies can bring up mixed emotions, especially if they feature loved ones who have passed away or periods of significant change. However, these feelings can foster personal growth and a deeper understanding of one’s family history and personal narrative.

Preserving Family Home Movies

Preserving family home movies is crucial, especially as physical film deteriorates over time. Home movie digitization is a process that converts physical film into digital format, ensuring these precious memories can be enjoyed for generations to come. Digitization also makes it easier to share these movies with family members, adding a personal touch to your binge-watching sessions.

Conclusion

Like most things in life, binge-watching is best enjoyed in moderation. While it has its downsides, it also offers benefits like stress relief, entertainment, and social bonding. Incorporating home movies into your binge-watching routine adds a layer of personal connection and nostalgia to the experience. So, grab your popcorn, fire up that vintage film projector or streaming service, and enjoy your next binge-watching session – just remember to balance it with other activities too!

LiDAR is the acronym for “Light Detection And Ranging”, sometimes called 3D laser scanning. It is like a RADAR that works with light instead of sound. This technology was first used in 1961 shortly after the invention of the laser. In recent years the invention of Autonomous vehicles and drones has increased the demand for this technology.

Flash LiDAR

In flash LiDAR, the technology illuminates the entire field of view with a wide diverging laser beam in a single pulse. This kind of technology is different from conventional scanning where the camera illuminates one point at a time, and the beam is scanned point by point. In both cases, scanning and flash LiDAR uses the time that took the light to come back and then determines the distance between the sensor and the object. In other words, Flash LiDAR takes distance photos, and this device is advantageous compared to scanner LiDAR when the camera, scene or both are moving.

Once the signal (light) is received by the scanner, a series of algorithms produce a nearly instantaneous 3-D rendering of objects and terrain features within the field of view of the object.

Applications

This technology is used widely in many fields. It is used in satellites and airplanes to scan terrains and to make bathymetrics of the ocean. In agriculture is used to determine yield production in each area from the land, it can be used also to find where weed is growing and if there are insects, witch kind of insects are there and the sex of the insects.

In archeology is used to find places and sites that are not visible under naked eye, because they are covered by vegetation. Using LiDAR technology, in 2018 archeologists discovered more than 60,000 man-made structures in the Maya Biosphere Reserve.

Autonomous vehicles

This is the form where most humans are going to interact, even if users have no knowledge about the existence of this technology. Self driving cars or autonomous vehicles are the vehicles designed and produced by several companies that have the ability to drive by themselves using advanced control systems and sensors to identify appropriate navigation paths. Self driving cars may use LiDAR technology to find obstacles and avoid them, navigating safely through environments.

Also LiDAR is used in:

• Biology and conservation
• Geology and soil science
• Atmosphere
• Law enforcement (speed guns and crime scene scanning)
• Military
• Mining
• Physics and astronomy
• Rock mechanics
• Robotics
• Spaceflight
• Surveying
• Transport
• Wind farm optimization
• Solar photovoltaic deployment optimization
• Video games

The LiDAR market size is expected to grow up to USD 2.8 billion by 2025 from an estimated size of USD 1.1 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 20.7% from 2020 to 2025. The rising adoption of LiDAR systems in Autonomous Vehicles, increasing adoption of LiDAR in different fields as construction applications and engineering, the use of LiDAR in geographical information systems (GIS), the emergence of 4D LiDAR company, and improving the regulations related to use of commercial drones in different applications are some of the factors thriving the growth of the LiDAR market.

Are you looking for a customized power cable? How cool is it to have a power cable designed to fit your specifications and needs? What are the benefits of buying a customized power cable?

Custom power cables.

Power cables are used to provide power to electronic devices. It can be used to power:

• Medical devices.
• Computers.
• Manufacturing machinery.

Find a power cable that is designed to meet your electronic appliances needs. It should be durable and its performance reliable. They come in various sizes, types, lengths, materials, and plug configurations to fit the needs of commercial, domestic, international, and OEM applications. When your power cables are customized, it means you decide how you want them to look like. Custom power cables for sale can be designed into any size, shape, style, color, and should meet your insulation requirements. It can be developed for specific applications like impact, water, and pressure resistance. Ensure the cable you purchase is of high quality, performs well, and functions well.

Types of power cables.

1. USB cable – used with keyboard, mouse, printer, and other devices.
2. HDMI cable – it is used with display devices like projectors, DVD players, and monitors.
3. Mini-plug cable – used with microphone, speakers, and headphones.
4. CAT5 cable – used with network cards.
5. Firewire cable – used with digital cameras and external hard drives
6. MIDI cable – used with equipment like musical keyboards.
7. Molex power cable – it is used inside the computer.
8. Serial cable – used with modem and mouse.

Components.

It has two or more conducting wires which are coated with an outer protective or insulating sheath. Depending on the amount of voltage transmitted, there are low power, medium power, and high power cables. Different types of cables are made depending on the intended use and application. The outer protective sheath is made from synthetic polymers while the conductors are made from copper. The main components are:

• Insulation.
• Conductors.
• Protective sheath.

What factors determine the construction of power cable?

1. Current carrying capacity.

This determines the size of the cross-sectional area of the conductor.

1. Working voltage.

This will determine how thick the insulation will be.

• Environmental conditions or chemical exposure.

This determines the form and what makes up the outer protective sheath. This should protect your power cable from sunlight, water, or mechanical impact.

Benefits of buying customized cables.

1. You buy the exact amount of cable you need, no extra useless cables.
2. It helps to create a clean setup since the cables can be designed according to the length you require.
3. The power cable is designed depending on the user’s specifications and cabling needs.

Conclusion.

A power cable is used to transmit electricity to electronic devices. There are many different types of power cables that are made depending on the intended application. Insulation, conductors, and protective sheath are some of the different components of a power cable. Working voltage, environmental condition, and current capacity are factors that determine how the power cable will be constructed. The benefits of buying a customized power cable are highlighted in the article. You should consider the performance, functionality, and durability of a power cable before making a purchase.

These days if someone has been in or around the web hosting career then they must be aware of the cloud server. The person also may have to hear of the virtual server virtual machine or private server. There are also many different types of options to select from. In this article, people will gain information about cloud VPS:

Cloud computing is the practice of the utilization of remote network servers that are hosted on the internet to –

• Store the data
• Manage the data
• Process rather than the personal computer

Whatever, the person is selected between the cloud VPS, dedicated VPS, the cloud server hosting the storage capacity remains the same. However, the local machine can be utilized to access the cloud; the intent is that the environment is remote. So removing the need for local reserves for storage and management. WeHaveServers.com will introduce highly experienced team members’ excellent services.

With the help of cloud server hosting, things are a little different. The cloud server is offered on a pay-per-use basis or exits through the virtualization pool of resources across the multi-server. This can be the merits for the additional flexibility, scalability, then the VPS server provides.

What is VPS hosting?

A dedicated hosting environment is a barrier to specific resources from the parent server through the utilization of virtualization. This implements the hypervisor or the virtual machine executive to run the machine on the host parent server. The single virtual machine is called the guest instance or child instance. The VPS is like a physical server that prevails as a piece of software running on the parent server. To add on, while using the cloud VPS server person gets the provision of the dynamic scalable or virtual environment. The resources needed for most projects are available in minutes, giving the near-instant or access to the modern server. Further, one can do this without the need of transferring the data or changing the server setting. The liquid web calls the scaling method of resizing; the resizing scale of a person may be up and down. This can depend on the specific site of application needs.

Many factors drive PCB trace width, style, and length. Many circuit applications have specific trace layout characteristics that go into PCB design. What is PCB trace width? Why is it important? The connection of electric signals digital, analog, power between two points or junction is PCB trace. The test point, empty pad, component pin refer to the junction. One-thousandth of an inch or mils are units of measurement. Seven to twelve mils constitute value. The application drives PCB trace width design. It is a trade-off concerning performance, PCB cost, board density. If the design requirement of high current or voltage, noise mitigation, speed optimization, then PCB trace width design takes precedence over PCB cost or fabrication cost. Fabrication costs of PCB increase if PCB trace width is less than five mils, the spacing between traces is less than five mils, via hole diameter less than eight mils, the thickness of trace, greater than 1 ounce of copper, trace impedance, controlled lengths, differential pairs. One ounce thickness roughly equates to 1.4 mils. PCB trace width is directly dependent on the signal with trace impedance, high current, and noise protection.

What are the deciding factors of PCB trace width? PCB trace width design depends on trace impedance and current capacity. With trace impedance, the design becomes more complex. Transmission line and electromagnetics concepts need to apply here. Maths application in this scenario. The current carrying capacity of a trace depends on the amount of temperature rise the design allows. Copper is the material used for traces. The width depends on copper thickness. Is it in inner layers or outer layers? Inner layers temperature rises more since there is no escape route. For cooling convection and radiation or only radiation. The altitude where the PCB usage happens also affects trace width design. Track length and dielectric thermal coefficient also play a part. Following IPC2152 standards-the best path to take.

Signal integrity and PCB trace width design go together. Controlling signal integrity with PCB trace width gains importance. What is good or bad signal integrity? Signal properties like frequency, amplitude, phase, power, the waveform at the same level, as it enters the trace, and traverses till the end of the trace, define signal integrity. Signal integrity being perfect is true in theory or vacuum. Signals lower than 50 MHz pose less or no problems. Greater than 50 MHz signals problems like ringing, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), cross talk, ground bounce, reflection need addressing. Signal integrity is directly affected. The PCB trace width design should be such that the mentioned problems need factorization in designing the PCB trace width. What do we do to maintain signal integrity for signals more than 50 MHz? Trace impedance comes into the picture here. Modifying trace thickness, width, and length manipulates trace impedance. Keep thickness and length constant. Modify width for proper trace impedance value. Signal integrity maintains.

PCB trace width design is the first and last point for good designs. No missing it. Always design PCB trace width so that signal integrity remains proper.

Need more info? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Picking The Right PCB Trace Width today.

The word Ethernet is quite confusing for many people. Most people just have an idea about it as a thing used in networking. With all the technological influx in the factory setting, it is better if you learn about the industrial gigabit Ethernet, as it is going to play a significant role when you implement the IoT devices at your smart factory.

The Ethernet refers to a network that all the devices like actuator or sensor are going to use for establishing communication. The better the Ethernet better will be the synchronization or communication between all the devices. Therefore, an Industrial Ethernet is slightly different from the Ethernet that we use for the office setting.

The industrial Ethernet is best for the industrial setting, as they offer a high-speed connection and can handle all the challenges that are specifically associated with the factories. Here are the benefits of choosing Industrial Ethernet over a normal Ethernet switch for your factory.

·       Can Work Under Noise

In your factory, you might use heavy machinery that generates a heavy magnetic and electric field. The magnetic and electric fields act as noise and disrupt the network if you use a normal Ethernet connection. However, an industrial Ethernet can work fine under electric and magnetic fields. Therefore, you do not have to be bothered about the heavy machinery that is used at your production facility.

·       Can Handle The Vibrations

Despite all the electric and magnetic fields, the factory machinery also causes vibration. The vibration can degrade the jacket and connection between the devices, which again disrupt the communication between devices. Therefore, you need an industrial Ethernet that can handle the vibrations that are generated by heavy machinery.

·       Durability

In terms of durability, the gap between the industrial Ethernet and office Ethernet gets even wider. Usually, the office Ethernet works under the basic setting, where it does not have to stand any kind of abuse. However, it not true for the factory settings where the Ethernet is open to a lot of abuses from the environment, employees, and machinery. Inside a factory, a normal office Ethernet component may fail, as it cannot withstand the abuse from a factory environment.

·       Can Work Under Extreme Temperature

The temperature to effects the network. If your factory settings have an extremely low or high temperature, the normal office Ethernet setting cannot withstand it, as the cold temperature damages the Ethernet component. Other than that, the high temperature can melt the jacket, which can lead to short and other vulnerabilities. To avoid such miss happening, you need to use industrial gigabit Ethernet.