---
type: "term"
title: "SYN Flood"
description: "A network layer denial of service attack that exploits the TCP three way handshake by sending many SYN requests without completing the handshake, exhausting the target's connection table."
resource: "tlctc:term:syn-flood"
tags:
  - "glossary"
---
# SYN Flood

A network-layer denial of service attack that exploits the TCP three-way handshake by sending many SYN requests without completing the handshake, exhausting the target's connection table. In TLCTC: maps to `#6 Flooding Attack` — volume exceeding finite connection capacity.

**Reference:** V1.9.1 Buzz-Word Refinement (#6)

See also: Flooding Attack (#6), DDoS, UDP Flood