Ping commands are useful
when it comes to troubleshooting and checking to see if a website is available
and how fast you would be able to access it. However, ping can also be used for
malicious intent. Today I will discuss an attack possible by means of ping
commands. I will also get into computer security incidents like computer
viruses and phishing and discuss what makes computers vulnerable to them, the
damage they can inflict and protection methods for each.
Ping Commands for
Malicious Intent
One major attack that can be accomplished by using ping commands is a denial of service attack. A denial of service attack is when a target website is basically overloaded to the point that it is rendered useless. By using the ping command, an attacker will send oversized data packets to a target website that will be too much for it to handle and causing the site to crash, not allowing legit users to use that site for a certain amount of time. An example of this came very recently in October of 2024 when Cloudflare, an internet security company mitigated a denial of service attack that lasted for 65 seconds effecting financial services and telecommunications (Lakshmanan, 2024). This can be prevented by ensuring you are using modern equipment and keeping the software on that equipment up to date.
There are multiple types of computer viruses that can infect your computer such as the macro virus, ransomware, trojan horse and worm malware to name a few. Computers are vulnerable to viruses for a few reasons such as not having updated software, leaving your computer vulnerable to viruses that can take advantage of its weak spots. Another is human error, by visiting an untrusted website that downloads a virus onto your device without you even knowing. Some symptoms your computer will have when infected is that it will be running slower than usual, having frequent system crashes and a noticeable uptick in pop up windows just to name a few. Now according to National Cybersecurity Alliance, some ways to prevent a computer from getting a virus is by using antivirus software such as Norton or McAfee that aid in the protection against viruses and other threats and being mindful of public wi-fi as they are often unsecure leaving your devices vulnerable to such viruses (National Cybersecurity Alliance, 2023). When using public wi-fi it is suggested to use a VPN for a more secure way to connect.
Phishing
Phishing
is an attempt to get individuals to provide personal data by posing as legitimate
entities such as your bank, amazon, the post office or your email provider. Computer
systems are vulnerable to this because of a lack of awareness among users and
simply how easy it is for someone to send mass phishing emails as it takes
little effort to attempt. Some signs that your computer may be infected is
unauthorized logins to accounts, an increase in unfamiliar emails and like
viruses, your computer operating slower than normal. The damages this can cause
is your personnel information being stolen such as your social security number
and login information. Another damage is you may take a loss financially if
they get access to bank account passwords. Ways to prevent this is to get
educated on how to recognize the common and newest phishing scams and hover
over links before clicking on them to see the URL and ensure the website uses
HTTPS before entering any personnel information. By getting smart on common
computer security incidents, how to recognize them and prevention methods, you
are giving yourself a better chance at not falling victim to these security
incidents.
National
Cybersecurity Alliance. (2023, Feb 13). How to Tell If Your Computer Has a
Virus and What to Do About It. https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/how-to-tell-if-your-computer-has-a-virus-and-what-to-do-about-it
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