What is NTP amplification and why is it so effective?

NTP amplification is the process where an NTP request is amplified by the NTP server's response. The attack leverages the fact that NTP servers are designed to respond with much larger packets than the initial request. The amplification factor, typically 1:10 or higher, can result in a massive increase in traffic volume, overwhelming the target's bandwidth and resources. This is effective because the attack isn't directly targeting the victim, but rather leveraging the capabilities of other servers.