Understanding and Classifying Permanent Denial-of-Service Attacks

Abstract

In the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, permanent denial-of-service (PDoS) attacks have emerged as a particularly damaging form of cyber aggression. Unlike the more well-known denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, which disrupt services temporarily, PDoS attacks aim to inflict irreversible damage to systems, often resulting in significant system overhauls and requiring hardware replacement. To enable the development of effective security measures, but also to address the knowledge gaps, this paper presents an in-depth exploration of PDoS attacks, emphasizing their distinguishing characteristics, underlying mechanisms, and potential further development. Through a comprehensive case study, this research highlights diverse tactics and strategies employed by attackers, from targeting IoT devices to manipulating boot processes and exploiting firmware vulnerabilities. A novel classification of PDoS attack vectors is proposed that also explains the ways in which the systems can be compromised. The findings confirm the pressing need for adaptive and robust defense mechanisms to mitigate the threats posed by PDoS attacks in our interconnected digital world.