Question:

How can I restore my internet connection after a possible DNS attack?

I was playing Rocket League online on my PS4 and I defeated another player. He invited me to join his voice chat party and I accepted. He then mentioned my state and internet provider, which I did not share with him. Shortly after, my router stopped working and I lost internet access on both my PS4 and my phone. I tried resetting the router, but it did not help. When I ran a connection test on my PS4, it showed a DNS error. I suspect that he somehow hacked my router or DNS settings. How can I fix this issue and prevent it from happening again?

Answer:

A DNS (Domain Name System) attack is a type of cyberattack that exploits the vulnerabilities of the DNS protocol, which translates domain names (such as www.google.com) into IP addresses (such as 172.217.14.206) that computers can understand. A DNS attack can disrupt, redirect, or hijack your internet traffic, and compromise your online security and privacy.

One of the common types of DNS attacks is a DNS spoofing attack, also known as DNS cache poisoning. In this attack, the hacker modifies the DNS records of a legitimate website and replaces them with fake ones, pointing to a malicious website. For example, if you try to visit www.google.com, you might be redirected to a phishing site that looks like Google, but tries to steal your personal information or infect your device with malware.

A DNS spoofing attack can affect not only your web browser, but also any other applications that rely on DNS, such as online games, voice chat, email, etc. This can explain why you lost internet access on both your PS4 and your phone after joining the voice chat party with the other player. He might have used a tool or a technique to spoof the DNS records of the voice chat service and redirect your traffic to a malicious server, where he could access your IP address, location, internet provider, and other information. He could also use a denial-of-service (DoS) attack to overload your router with fake requests and make it stop working.

To fix this issue and prevent it from happening again, you need to do the following steps:

1. Disconnect your devices from the internet and turn off your router. This will stop the hacker from accessing your network and devices.
2. Scan your devices for malware using a reputable antivirus software. This will remove any malicious programs or files that the hacker might have installed on your devices.
3. Change the passwords of your router, your internet provider account, your voice chat account, and any other online accounts that you use. This will prevent the hacker from logging into your accounts and changing your settings.
4. Clear the DNS cache of your devices and your router. This will delete the fake DNS records that the hacker might have stored on your devices and your router. To clear the DNS cache of your devices, you can follow the instructions here: [How to clear your DNS cache](https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-flush-dns-cache-818392). To clear the DNS cache of your router, you can follow the instructions here: [How to flush your router’s DNS cache](https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-flush-your-routers-dns-cache).
5. Change the DNS settings of your devices and your router. This will prevent the hacker from spoofing the DNS records of the websites and services that you use. You can use a secure and reliable DNS service, such as Google Public DNS, Cloudflare DNS, or OpenDNS. To change the DNS settings of your devices, you can follow the instructions here: [How to change your DNS settings](https://www.howtogeek.com/167533/the-ultimate-guide-to-changing-your-dns-server/). To change the DNS settings of your router, you can follow the instructions here: [How to change your router’s DNS settings](https://www.howtogeek.com/164981/how-to-switch-to-opendns-or-google-dns-to-speed-up-web-browsing/).
6. Turn on your router and reconnect your devices to the internet. This will restore your internet connection and allow you to access the websites and services that you use.

By following these steps, you should be able to restore your internet connection after a possible DNS attack. However, you should also be careful about who you interact with online, especially in online games and voice chat services. Do not accept invitations from strangers or people who act suspiciously or aggressively. Do not share your personal information or click on any links that they send you. And always use a firewall, a VPN, and a secure browser to protect your network and devices from hackers and cyberattacks.