This report extensively analyzes Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, focusing on their motives, methodologies, and impacts across various sectors. It classifies different DDoS attack types, examining those targeting specific network layers and emphasizing unique attack patterns within cloud environments. The study also reviews trends highlighting the rising frequency of these attacks in government, finance, and online gaming sectors. To counteract these threats, the report outlines a range of preventive and mitigation strategies. It covers traditional methods like IP blacklisting, filtering, and firewalls, as well as advanced solutions involving real-time traffic monitoring and machine learning for dynamic anomaly detection. The effectiveness of cloud-based defenses, application-layer security practices, infrastructure resilience, and the integration of blockchain technologies are also explored. This comprehensive analysis ultimately aims to provide insights into the evolving landscape of DDoS attacks, advocating for a multi-layered approach to enhancing cybersecurity.