What PDoS And TDoS Attacks Are 

What PDoS and TDoS attacks are. There are many types of attacks that we can suffer when surfing the Internet. Our computers can be compromised by many different methods, as well as our personal information can be leaked. As time goes by, attackers use more sophisticated methods to achieve their objective. This means that we must always maintain security and not make mistakes. In this article we are going to explain what PDoS and TDoS attacks are , two varieties of denial of service that can compromise computer equipment.

What PDoS and TDoS attacks are. 

What are denial of service attacks?/What PDoS and TDoS attacks are.

First of all, we are going to explain what a denial of services attack is . It is commonly known as a DDoS attack. As the name suggests, it is basically an attack directed against a computer with the aim of causing a denial of service and not working properly.

This attack can cause that service to be totally or partially unresponsive. For example, we can mention a web server that causes a page to become unavailable to users. The same can happen with any computer system that can leave a company incommunicado or that workers cannot use computers to work normally.

This logically can suppose great economic losses for an organization. If we go back to the example of a web page, suppose that there are products for sale on it and the site is blocked for hours. In that time, customers could go to other pages of the competition, so there would be economic losses.

Such an attack can occur by sending a large number of requests flooding a server. It could cause inability to offer service and crash. However there are different methods and other varieties of derived attacks. Let’s see what two of these varieties consist of: PDoS and TDoS.

What is a PDoS attack

PDoS is a permanent denial of service attack . It consists of carrying out a hardware sabotage. The attacker locks the device or locks the firmware completely without being able to do anything at all. That team stops working and is not only partially compromised.

The victim who suffers a PDoS attack has no choice but to repair that device or even buy a new one. Otherwise the company or organization that depends on that system could not continue with the activities in a normal way.

What the attacker does is damage the device through malicious BIOS loading or remote management. It is common for them to exploit vulnerabilities in the device software or a corrupted firmware image.

However, PDoS attacks can also be performed physically. An example is via a maliciously configured USB stick. A simple pendrive could compromise a computer and make it unable to function.

It should be noted that PDoS attacks mainly to computers that can be managed remotely. For example a router , a printer or any other network device . They generally seek to modify legitimate firmware for a faulty or malicious one that could cause it to stop working.

Thanks to that malicious firmware that they have installed, they could control those devices. They could cause them to not work until they are repaired. Sometimes to repair it, it is enough to reset it and return to factory settings, but at other times it can even damage the hardware of the computer.

What is a TDoS attack

Another variety that we can find are TDoS attacks . This is a denial of telephony service attack. It consists of an attacker launching a large number of calls and keeping them active for as long as possible against the destination network. This causes them to not be able to receive legitimate calls and logically affects the operation of a company or organization by not being able to properly service users.

A characteristic of TDoS attacks is that they are not only targeted at large companies and corporations, but also at small organizations. Over time they have evolved and have become more automated. Attackers create call campaigns .

There have been examples of TDoS attacks against very diverse organizations . We can mention the call center of banks, emergency services or the technical service of many companies.

Now, how is the attacker able to make so many calls at the same time? One of the most common ways is through malware . A malicious software that is downloaded to the phones of many users through social networks, fake pages and file downloads. That malware is programmed to make an automatic call to a terminated number.

In this way, the attacker can make calls from thousands of devices at the same time. Even those same devices can make calls to another organization in the future. Ultimately, this malware can be controlled remotely and adapted according to what it is looking for at any given moment.

How to avoid these types of attacks

We have seen that there are differences in the way these attacks are carried out. However, there are some common links, such as the vulnerabilities that attackers always look for. We are going to give a series of generic tips to avoid being a victim of denial of service attacks such as PDoS or TDoS, as well as to prevent our equipment from being used for it.

Keep equipment updated

Something fundamental is to always have the equipment correctly updated . There are many vulnerabilities that can arise. Cybercriminals can take advantage of flaws in our systems and devices. Hence the importance of always having the latest versions.

Thanks to security patches we can correct problems. We can prevent an attacker from taking advantage of these flaws and using our equipment for a denial of service attack, such as PDoS or TDoS.

Have security tools

Of course we must always install security programs. A good antivirus can prevent the entry of malware that puts the system at risk. We have many options at our disposal and it is something that we must apply on mobile devices and also desktop computers.

We have seen that in the case of TDoS attacks, it is normal for an attacker to install malware on the devices of many users to make calls automatically. To prevent our mobile from being part of this attack, we can install a good antivirus and be protected from that malicious software.

Analyze network traffic

We must also have a continuous surveillance of our network. Analyzing the network traffic helps us to have a broad knowledge about which devices are connected and if at any moment we see something strange we could paralyze attacks of this type before it is too late.

Protect networks

Another issue to take into account is to protect the networks . This means using strong and complex passwords on our Wi-Fi, but also keeping the router safe, updating the firmware and changing different parameters that can benefit us and have a notable improvement in security.

Common sense

But without a doubt the most important thing is always going to be common sense . Avoiding making mistakes can save us from being victims of denial of service attacks or from being part of a botnet that attacks third parties.

It is important, for example, to avoid downloading attachments that come to us by email without really knowing who may be behind it. It would also be a mistake to download software from sites that are not safe and may contain malware.Ultimately, PDoS and TDoS attacks are two varieties of denial of service attacks. We have seen what we can do to be protected and thus prevent our teams from being compromised at any given time.

by Abdullah Sam
I’m a teacher, researcher and writer. I write about study subjects to improve the learning of college and university students. I write top Quality study notes Mostly, Tech, Games, Education, And Solutions/Tips and Tricks. I am a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

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