> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.bird.com/pusher/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.bird.com/pusher/channels/channels/troubleshooting/how-does-pusher-channels-protect-against-denial-of-service-attacks.md).

# How Does Pusher Channels Protect Against Denial Of Service Attacks?

Pusher Channels mitigates denial-of-service attacks by monitoring for suspicious activity, [blocking and rate-limiting at the IP layer](https://making.pusher.com/per-ip-rate-limiting-with-iptables/), and by working with DDoS protection services (such as [AWS Shield](https://aws.amazon.com/shield/)).

Pusher Channels uses WebSockets, which are TCP/TLS connections. These TCP/TLS connections do not require authentication. This property is sometimes exploited for "denial of service" attacks on internet services, in which the attacker opens many connections, attempting to deny others access to Pusher Channels or to a specific Pusher Channels app. Pusher's monitoring and rate-limiting architecture mitigates these kinds of attack.

{% hint style="info" %}
Still have questions? Please reach out to our Support team by visiting [this page](https://messagebird.com/support-center/Pusher-request-new).
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.bird.com/pusher/channels/channels/troubleshooting/how-does-pusher-channels-protect-against-denial-of-service-attacks.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.