How to check if your network is vulnerable to PDoS attack

How To Check If Your Network Is Vulnerable To Pdos Attack
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The internet has become a scary place. Now more than ever, hackers have flooded the market with new malware strings and attack techniques, putting everyone’s online safety at risk. One of the most sophisticated cyber-attacks today is the Permanent Denial of Service attack (PDOS).

Although it’s yet to gain more popularity in the market, its growing trend is a big reason for us to worry.

What are the PDOS attacks?

PDoS attack

PDOS attacks, also known as Phlashing, is a denial of service attack where hackers use network vulnerabilities to attack and completely damage systems. Unlike the DDOS attacks, this attack causes permanent damage to the target devices, and so, none of the data can be recovered.

To initiate this attack, the hackers have to be present physically to upload a corrupt BIOS from a portable device. A case in point is the Killer USB demonstrated by a Russian hacker that can damage an entire computer system.

The USB sends out a negative 220-volt surge that fries all computer components, rendering it useless. This attack isn’t financially motivated, but rather it’s purely intended to cause destruction.

What makes it more appealing to hackers is that it’s much cheaper and easier to do than most other cyberattack techniques.

How do you spot the attack in your network?

How do you spot the attack in your network

With this kind of attack, you need to act quickly if you don’t want to lose your entire system. The most obvious way of identifying a PDOS attack is through network monitoring.

It would help if you had a team monitor the network traffic through a firewall or an intrusion detection system. When you notice a slower network performance when trying to open files or websites, that might be a sign.

Keep in mind; a PDOS attack doesn’t discriminate between devices. It can attack any vulnerable device as long as you don’t have the proper security in place.

How to check your network’s vulnerability

To know whether your system is at risk of PDOS attack, here are a few things to watch out for:

Check the state of your hardware

Most people focus too much on updating the software that they forget about the hardware aspect. PDOS attackers know this and hence use the vulnerability of network hardware such as routers and printers to attack your system.

You should therefore ensure that your firmware is all up-to-date and in good shape. The longer the networking hardware remains outdated, the higher the vulnerability of your network.

If you have a business, you may also think about SD-WAN to reinforce your defenses.

Monitor the state of your VPN

A VPN is one of the most important tools you can have for your network security. It encrypts the network, protecting it from remote attacks. Without it, your network remains more vulnerable to this attack.

Additionally, the type of VPN you use also determines how vulnerable your network is. Most free VPNs don’t offer the needed security for your network. Your network is better off with a reliable premium VPN.

Monitor your Antivirus

Monitor your Antivirus

Equally important is the state of your antivirus in your system. An antivirus gets rid of any malware or virus detected in your system. It works hand in hand with your computer’s firewall ensuring that malicious traffic isn’t allowed into your system.

The more effective your antivirus is, the less vulnerable your network remains.

For best security, avoid most of the free antivirus software in the market – hackers have found a way to mask their trojans from these apps. Instead, compare most of the popular antiviruses – Comodo and McAfee and opt for the antivirus with the best features and reviews.

Contact your network administrator

If you don’t have a lot of knowledge in the field, get a network administrator’s help to test your network. The administrator can look into your network’s most vulnerable aspects and see if it’s something you should be worried about.

Your network administrator will also help you identify the source of an attack and help you mitigate it before it affects your system.

Final thoughts

PDOS attacks can be very costly if they affect your devices. You should therefore ensure that you regularly check your network to ensure that all the vulnerabilities are spotted and fixed.

Remember, it’s better to prepare for a disaster that never comes than to stand unprepared in the face of a disaster.

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How to check if your network is vulnerable to PDoS attack FAQs


How long does a DDoS attack take?

It can be as long as 24 hours so that it will be ready for DDoS attacks

Is router booting illegal?

Yes, it is so that I will be careful about this.

Does VPN protect from DDoS?

Yes, VPN protect from DDoS attacks

Thank you for reading!