Which of the following is a method to reduce the impact of a Denial of Service attack?

Implementing rate limiting is an effective method for reducing the impact of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. Rate limiting controls the number of requests a user can make to a service in a given timeframe. By capping the allowable requests from a user or IP address, it prevents any individual from overwhelming the server with excessive traffic, which is a common tactic used in DoS attacks to disrupt services.

This approach helps maintain the server's availability for other legitimate users by curbing the resource consumption caused by malicious actors, thus protecting against service degradation or complete unavailability. It can also provide time for administrators to detect and respond to potential attacks, further safeguarding the service.

In contrast, using strong passwords, regularly backing up data, and restricting physical access to servers may enhance security and data integrity but do not directly address the mechanics of DoS attacks or mitigate their impact on service availability. These measures are more aligned with preventing unauthorized access or ensuring data recovery rather than blocking excessive malicious traffic.