Methods / L4 / RST
L4 · NetworkTCPConnection-ResetSpoofableState-Drain
RST stress test
Sends a high volume of empty TCP RST packets to test how cleanly your stack ignores resets for connections that do not exist.
How it works
This method emits a steady stream of empty TCP packets with the RST flag set, imitating abrupt connection teardowns. For every reset, the receiving stack must check whether a matching connection exists before discarding it, so a large volume forces wasteful state lookups and consumes link capacity. It validates whether your firewall and TCP stack drop spurious resets at line rate and whether legitimate sessions survive a flood of forged teardown packets.
Parameters
pps600k ppsRate of RST packets sent at the target.
portany TCP portDestination service port under test.
duration10-300 sTest runtime.
sourcesdistributed rangesSource spread to emulate a multi-origin flood.
Run it from the CLI
retro-cli
$ retro run rst --target 203.0.113.45 --port 443 --duration 120
RST FAQ
Is RST testing legal?+
Only against infrastructure you own or are authorized to test. RETRO//STRESS requires authorized targets.
What does RST stress?+
Sends a high volume of empty TCP RST packets to test how cleanly your stack ignores resets for connections that do not exist.
Can I combine it with other methods?+
Yes, add it as a step in a packet chain to sequence it with other protocols.