In the evolving world of cybersecurity, learning about new risks and potential disruptions is a key to avoiding them. While many may have heard of the more infamous DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack by now, today we’re examining the lesser-known PDoS attack.
What is A PDoS Attack?
PDoS attacks or Permanent Denial of Service attacks, differ from their similarly named DDoS counterpart because they focus on causing irreparable harm to the devices that businesses and users depend on. Instead of just consuming the resources of a target network or system and compromising their functionality (like in a distributed denial of service approach) PDoS attacks look to render the hardware itself inoperable, necessitating replacement. For instance, one infamous PDoS attack used a standard, cheap USB purchased online, which was then modified by a hacker into a device that could “brick” a computer by delivering a negative electric surge, drawing power from the computer until internal components had to be replaced.
Since PDoS attacks aren’t looking to flood the system in the same way, instead delivering modified or corrupted firmware, these events can occur faster and take fewer resources on the attacker end. If your business runs a virtualized environment with few hardware components or is dependent on IoT devices (which are particularly vulnerable to these attacks), you might be more at risk of falling victim to this cybersecurity issue. Still, anyone can become a target. At the core of PDoS instances are an attacker’s ability to exploit gaps in security that enable remote administration on the management interfaces of hardware — things like routers or other networking hardware. As with any cybersecurity event, the impact could mean millions of dollars in downtime, loss of customer trust due to compromised service and more.
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Finding the Right PDoS Attack Solution and Partner
Despite the fact that PDoS attacks are just one type of digital threat among many, organizations are in luck because the solution remains the same: a highly secure data center environment.
To prevent physically launched instances of PDoS, physical data center security is paramount. This means 24x7x365 manned security, gated entry, badged or escorted entry policies, man trap and biometric scanners, cabinets, and cage locks, and more. Beyond this though, monitoring and maintenance on the equipment and network itself is key for virtually keeping on top of any security concerns, and having experts on hand around the clock is important for quick action should anything happen.
To get the best of security, colocation is a great option for saving time, internal resources and cost, leaving the difficulties and operational complexities to the pros. Data Foundry, with its purpose-built colocation facilities and dedication to high-touch customer service, is committed to delivering a data and IT equipment environment you can depend on. Our Houston 2 data center is state-of-the-art and built to meet individualized security requirements, power demands and more for customers’ IT. With eight layers of security, redundant infrastructure and more, tenants can get the peace of mind they need with a strong backing of operational expertise and IT protection.
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To learn more about PDoS and DDoS attacks, you can find our previous blogs about them here and here. If you’d like some assistance assessing your physical security or network security, please feel free to contact us here for a consultation.
