How can I simulate a DDoS attack in a test environment on AWS to validate my defenses?

While launching a real DDoS attack is illegal and unethical, you can use tools like `tc` (traffic control) on Linux or commercial load testing tools to simulate DDoS traffic. Ensure you have proper authorization and are testing within a controlled, isolated environment to avoid impacting production services. AWS also provides documentation and best practices for testing DDoS resilience.