<a id="cli-aws-shield-describe-attack"></a>

# describe-attack

## Description

Describes the details of a DDoS attack.

See also: [AWS API Documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/WebAPI/shield-2016-06-02/DescribeAttack)

## Synopsis

```
  describe-attack
--attack-id <value>
[--cli-input-json | --cli-input-yaml]
[--generate-cli-skeleton <value>]
[--debug]
[--endpoint-url <value>]
[--no-verify-ssl]
[--no-paginate]
[--output <value>]
[--query <value>]
[--profile <value>]
[--region <value>]
[--version <value>]
[--color <value>]
[--no-sign-request]
[--ca-bundle <value>]
[--cli-read-timeout <value>]
[--cli-connect-timeout <value>]
[--cli-binary-format <value>]
[--no-cli-pager]
[--cli-auto-prompt]
[--no-cli-auto-prompt]
[--cli-error-format <value>]
```

## Options

`--attack-id` (string) [required]

> The unique identifier (ID) for the attack.

> Constraints:

> * min: `1`
> * max: `128`
> * pattern: `[a-zA-Z0-9\\-]*`

`--cli-input-json` | `--cli-input-yaml` (string)
Reads arguments from the JSON string provided. The JSON string follows the format provided by `--generate-cli-skeleton`. If other arguments are provided on the command line, those values will override the JSON-provided values. It is not possible to pass arbitrary binary values using a JSON-provided value as the string will be taken literally. This may not be specified along with `--cli-input-yaml`.

`--generate-cli-skeleton` (string)
Prints a JSON skeleton to standard output without sending an API request. If provided with no value or the value `input`, prints a sample input JSON that can be used as an argument for `--cli-input-json`. Similarly, if provided `yaml-input` it will print a sample input YAML that can be used with `--cli-input-yaml`. If provided with the value `output`, it validates the command inputs and returns a sample output JSON for that command. The generated JSON skeleton is not stable between versions of the AWS CLI and there are no backwards compatibility guarantees in the JSON skeleton generated.

## Global Options

`--debug` (boolean)

Turn on debug logging.

`--endpoint-url` (string)

Override command’s default URL with the given URL.

`--no-verify-ssl` (boolean)

By default, the AWS CLI uses SSL when communicating with AWS services. For each SSL connection, the AWS CLI will verify SSL certificates. This option overrides the default behavior of verifying SSL certificates.

`--no-paginate` (boolean)

Disable automatic pagination. If automatic pagination is disabled, the AWS CLI will only make one call, for the first page of results.

`--output` (string)

The formatting style for command output.

* json
* text
* table
* yaml
* yaml-stream
* off

`--query` (string)

A JMESPath query to use in filtering the response data.

`--profile` (string)

Use a specific profile from your credential file.

`--region` (string)

The region to use. Overrides config/env settings.

`--version` (string)

Display the version of this tool.

`--color` (string)

Turn on/off color output.

* on
* off
* auto

`--no-sign-request` (boolean)

Do not sign requests. Credentials will not be loaded if this argument is provided.

`--ca-bundle` (string)

The CA certificate bundle to use when verifying SSL certificates. Overrides config/env settings.

`--cli-read-timeout` (int)

The maximum socket read time in seconds. If the value is set to 0, the socket read will be blocking and not timeout. The default value is 60 seconds.

`--cli-connect-timeout` (int)

The maximum socket connect time in seconds. If the value is set to 0, the socket connect will be blocking and not timeout. The default value is 60 seconds.

`--cli-binary-format` (string)

The formatting style to be used for binary blobs. The default format is base64. The base64 format expects binary blobs to be provided as a base64 encoded string. The raw-in-base64-out format preserves compatibility with AWS CLI V1 behavior and binary values must be passed literally. When providing contents from a file that map to a binary blob `fileb://` will always be treated as binary and use the file contents directly regardless of the `cli-binary-format` setting. When using `file://` the file contents will need to properly formatted for the configured `cli-binary-format`.

* base64
* raw-in-base64-out

`--no-cli-pager` (boolean)

Disable cli pager for output.

`--cli-auto-prompt` (boolean)

Automatically prompt for CLI input parameters.

`--no-cli-auto-prompt` (boolean)

Disable automatically prompt for CLI input parameters.

`--cli-error-format` (string)

The formatting style for error output. By default, errors are displayed in enhanced format.

* legacy
* json
* yaml
* text
* table
* enhanced

## Examples

#### NOTE
To use the following examples, you must have the AWS CLI installed and configured. See the [Getting started guide](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-getting-started.html) in the *AWS CLI User Guide* for more information.

Unless otherwise stated, all examples have unix-like quotation rules. These examples will need to be adapted to your terminal’s quoting rules. See [Using quotation marks with strings](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-usage-parameters-quoting-strings.html) in the *AWS CLI User Guide* .

**To retrieve a detailed description of an attack**

The following `describe-attack` example displays details about the DDoS attack with the specified attack ID. You can obtain attack IDs by running the `list-attacks` command.

```bash
aws shield describe-attack \
    --attack-id a1b2c3d4-5678-90ab-cdef-EXAMPLE22222
```

Output:

```json
{
    "Attack": {
        "AttackId": "a1b2c3d4-5678-90ab-cdef-EXAMPLE22222",
        "ResourceArn": "arn:aws:elasticloadbalancing:us-west-2:123456789012:loadbalancer/testElb",
        "SubResources": [
            {
                "Type": "IP",
                "Id": "192.0.2.2",
                "AttackVectors": [
                    {
                        "VectorType": "SYN_FLOOD",
                        "VectorCounters": [
                            {
                                "Name": "SYN_FLOOD_BPS",
                                "Max": 982184.0,
                                "Average": 982184.0,
                                "Sum": 11786208.0,
                                "N": 12,
                                "Unit": "BPS"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "Counters": []
            },
            {
                "Type": "IP",
                "Id": "192.0.2.3",
                "AttackVectors": [
                    {
                        "VectorType": "SYN_FLOOD",
                        "VectorCounters": [
                            {
                                "Name": "SYN_FLOOD_BPS",
                                "Max": 982184.0,
                                "Average": 982184.0,
                                "Sum": 9821840.0,
                                "N": 10,
                                "Unit": "BPS"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "Counters": []
            },
            {
                "Type": "IP",
                "Id": "192.0.2.4",
                "AttackVectors": [
                    {
                        "VectorType": "SYN_FLOOD",
                        "VectorCounters": [
                            {
                                "Name": "SYN_FLOOD_BPS",
                                "Max": 982184.0,
                                "Average": 982184.0,
                                "Sum": 7857472.0,
                                "N": 8,
                                "Unit": "BPS"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "Counters": []
            },
            {
                "Type": "IP",
                "Id": "192.0.2.5",
                "AttackVectors": [
                    {
                        "VectorType": "SYN_FLOOD",
                        "VectorCounters": [
                            {
                                "Name": "SYN_FLOOD_BPS",
                                "Max": 982184.0,
                                "Average": 982184.0,
                                "Sum": 1964368.0,
                                "N": 2,
                                "Unit": "BPS"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "Counters": []
            },
            {
                "Type": "IP",
                "Id": "2001:DB8::bcde:4321:8765:0:0",
                "AttackVectors": [
                    {
                        "VectorType": "SYN_FLOOD",
                        "VectorCounters": [
                            {
                                "Name": "SYN_FLOOD_BPS",
                                "Max": 982184.0,
                                "Average": 982184.0,
                                "Sum": 1964368.0,
                                "N": 2,
                                "Unit": "BPS"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "Counters": []
            },
            {
                "Type": "IP",
                "Id": "192.0.2.6",
                "AttackVectors": [
                    {
                        "VectorType": "SYN_FLOOD",
                        "VectorCounters": [
                            {
                                "Name": "SYN_FLOOD_BPS",
                                "Max": 982184.0,
                                "Average": 982184.0,
                                "Sum": 1964368.0,
                                "N": 2,
                                "Unit": "BPS"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "Counters": []
            }
        ],
        "StartTime": 1576024927.457,
        "EndTime": 1576025647.457,
        "AttackCounters": [],
        "AttackProperties": [
            {
                "AttackLayer": "NETWORK",
                "AttackPropertyIdentifier": "SOURCE_IP_ADDRESS",
                "TopContributors": [
                    {
                        "Name": "198.51.100.5",
                        "Value": 2024475682
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "198.51.100.8",
                        "Value": 1311380863
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "203.0.113.4",
                        "Value": 900599855
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "198.51.100.4",
                        "Value": 769417366
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "203.1.113.13",
                        "Value": 757992847
                    }
                ],
                "Unit": "BYTES",
                "Total": 92773354841
            },
            {
                "AttackLayer": "NETWORK",
                "AttackPropertyIdentifier": "SOURCE_COUNTRY",
                "TopContributors": [
                    {
                        "Name": "United States",
                        "Value": 80938161764
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "Brazil",
                        "Value": 9929864330
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "Netherlands",
                        "Value": 1635009446
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "Mexico",
                        "Value": 144832971
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "Japan",
                        "Value": 45369000
                    }
                ],
                "Unit": "BYTES",
                "Total": 92773354841
            },
            {
                "AttackLayer": "NETWORK",
                "AttackPropertyIdentifier": "SOURCE_ASN",
                "TopContributors": [
                    {
                        "Name": "12345",
                        "Value": 74953625841
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "12346",
                        "Value": 4440087595
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "12347",
                        "Value": 1635009446
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "12348",
                        "Value": 1221230000
                    },
                    {
                        "Name": "12349",
                        "Value": 1199425294
                    }
                ],
                "Unit": "BYTES",
                "Total": 92755479921
            }
        ],
        "Mitigations": []
    }
}
```

For more information, see [Reviewing DDoS Incidents](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/waf/latest/developerguide/using-ddos-reports.html) in the *AWS Shield Advanced Developer Guide*.

## Output

Attack -> (structure)

> The attack that you requested.

> AttackId -> (string)

> > The unique identifier (ID) of the attack.

> > Constraints:

> > * min: `1`
> > * max: `128`
> > * pattern: `[a-zA-Z0-9\\-]*`

> ResourceArn -> (string)

> > The ARN (Amazon Resource Name) of the resource that was attacked.

> > Constraints:

> > * min: `1`
> > * max: `2048`
> > * pattern: `^arn:aws.*`

> SubResources -> (list)

> > If applicable, additional detail about the resource being attacked, for example, IP address or URL.

> > (structure)

> > > The attack information for the specified SubResource.

> > > Type -> (string)

> > > > The `SubResource` type.

> > > > Possible values:

> > > > * `IP`
> > > > * `URL`

> > > Id -> (string)

> > > > The unique identifier (ID) of the `SubResource` .

> > > AttackVectors -> (list)

> > > > The list of attack types and associated counters.

> > > > (structure)

> > > > > A summary of information about the attack.

> > > > > VectorType -> (string) [required]

> > > > > > The attack type, for example, SNMP reflection or SYN flood.

> > > > > VectorCounters -> (list)

> > > > > > The list of counters that describe the details of the attack.

> > > > > > (structure)

> > > > > > > The counter that describes a DDoS attack.

> > > > > > > Name -> (string)

> > > > > > > > The counter name.

> > > > > > > Max -> (double)

> > > > > > > > The maximum value of the counter for a specified time period.

> > > > > > > Average -> (double)

> > > > > > > > The average value of the counter for a specified time period.

> > > > > > > Sum -> (double)

> > > > > > > > The total of counter values for a specified time period.

> > > > > > > N -> (integer)

> > > > > > > > The number of counters for a specified time period.

> > > > > > > Unit -> (string)

> > > > > > > > The unit of the counters.

> > > Counters -> (list)

> > > > The counters that describe the details of the attack.

> > > > (structure)

> > > > > The counter that describes a DDoS attack.

> > > > > Name -> (string)

> > > > > > The counter name.

> > > > > Max -> (double)

> > > > > > The maximum value of the counter for a specified time period.

> > > > > Average -> (double)

> > > > > > The average value of the counter for a specified time period.

> > > > > Sum -> (double)

> > > > > > The total of counter values for a specified time period.

> > > > > N -> (integer)

> > > > > > The number of counters for a specified time period.

> > > > > Unit -> (string)

> > > > > > The unit of the counters.

> StartTime -> (timestamp)

> > The time the attack started, in Unix time in seconds.

> EndTime -> (timestamp)

> > The time the attack ended, in Unix time in seconds.

> AttackCounters -> (list)

> > List of counters that describe the attack for the specified time period.

> > (structure)

> > > The counter that describes a DDoS attack.

> > > Name -> (string)

> > > > The counter name.

> > > Max -> (double)

> > > > The maximum value of the counter for a specified time period.

> > > Average -> (double)

> > > > The average value of the counter for a specified time period.

> > > Sum -> (double)

> > > > The total of counter values for a specified time period.

> > > N -> (integer)

> > > > The number of counters for a specified time period.

> > > Unit -> (string)

> > > > The unit of the counters.

> AttackProperties -> (list)

> > The array of objects that provide details of the Shield event.

> > For infrastructure layer events (L3 and L4 events), you can view metrics for top contributors in Amazon CloudWatch metrics. For more information, see [Shield metrics and alarms](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/waf/latest/developerguide/monitoring-cloudwatch.html#set-ddos-alarms) in the *WAF Developer Guide* .

> > (structure)

> > > Details of a Shield event. This is provided as part of an  AttackDetail .

> > > AttackLayer -> (string)

> > > > The type of Shield event that was observed. `NETWORK` indicates layer 3 and layer 4 events and `APPLICATION` indicates layer 7 events.

> > > > For infrastructure layer events (L3 and L4 events), you can view metrics for top contributors in Amazon CloudWatch metrics. For more information, see [Shield metrics and alarms](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/waf/latest/developerguide/monitoring-cloudwatch.html#set-ddos-alarms) in the *WAF Developer Guide* .

> > > > Possible values:

> > > > * `NETWORK`
> > > > * `APPLICATION`

> > > AttackPropertyIdentifier -> (string)

> > > > Defines the Shield event property information that is provided. The `WORDPRESS_PINGBACK_REFLECTOR` and `WORDPRESS_PINGBACK_SOURCE` values are valid only for WordPress reflective pingback events.

> > > > Possible values:

> > > > * `DESTINATION_URL`
> > > > * `REFERRER`
> > > > * `SOURCE_ASN`
> > > > * `SOURCE_COUNTRY`
> > > > * `SOURCE_IP_ADDRESS`
> > > > * `SOURCE_USER_AGENT`
> > > > * `WORDPRESS_PINGBACK_REFLECTOR`
> > > > * `WORDPRESS_PINGBACK_SOURCE`

> > > TopContributors -> (list)

> > > > Contributor objects for the top five contributors to a Shield event. A contributor is a source of traffic that Shield Advanced identifies as responsible for some or all of an event.

> > > > (structure)

> > > > > A contributor to the attack and their contribution.

> > > > > Name -> (string)

> > > > > > The name of the contributor. The type of name that you’ll find here depends on the `AttackPropertyIdentifier` setting in the `AttackProperty` where this contributor is defined. For example, if the `AttackPropertyIdentifier` is `SOURCE_COUNTRY` , the `Name` could be `United States` .

> > > > > Value -> (long)

> > > > > > The contribution of this contributor expressed in  Protection units. For example `10,000` .

> > > Unit -> (string)

> > > > The unit used for the `Contributor`  `Value` property.

> > > > Possible values:

> > > > * `BITS`
> > > > * `BYTES`
> > > > * `PACKETS`
> > > > * `REQUESTS`

> > > Total -> (long)

> > > > The total contributions made to this Shield event by all contributors.

> Mitigations -> (list)

> > List of mitigation actions taken for the attack.

> > (structure)

> > > The mitigation applied to a DDoS attack.

> > > MitigationName -> (string)

> > > > The name of the mitigation taken for this attack.