Can DDoS of Ripple validators freeze all transactions?

[Come-from-Beyond]

Simple question:

If Ripple validators are shut down due to a DDoS attack, will transactions be processed?

[ahbritto]

If Ripple validators are shut down due to a DDoS attack, will transactions be processed?

There are many kinds of DDoS attacks.  As validators do not need to advertise their IP address they can be hidden. It is unlikely that hidden validators can be specifically targeted with a DDoS flood of Internet traffic.

[Come-from-Beyond]

There are many kinds of DDoS attacks.  As validators do not need to advertise their IP address they can be hidden. It is unlikely that hidden validators can be specifically targeted with a DDoS flood of Internet traffic.

Hidden validators? If noone knows its IP, then it won't be used at all.

What about my question, btw?

[ahbritto]

Hidden validators? If noone knows its IP, then it won't be used at all.

What about my question, btw?

Validators only need to issue a few messages per ledger, they can be behind lots of friendly servers. No particular validator is vital.

[chriswen]

Do we even have validators right now?  How do you set one up?

[ahbritto]

Do we even have validators right now?

Yes.

How do you set one up?

• https://ripple.com/wiki/Setup_a_validating_server

[Come-from-Beyond]

Validators only need to issue a few messages per ledger, they can be behind lots of friendly servers. No particular validator is vital.

So Ripple can't be easily shut down with a DDoS attack. Thx.

[Sukrim]

Well, currently there are not THAT many servers out there, so a DDoS on all known node IPs might be at least quite disruptive. Killing only a few validators, even highly trusted ones though should(TM) not be problematic - also since they do only publish a signature per ledger and that's mostly it, so a validator can be easily relaunched on VPS servers or hidden behind known good nodes.