A method for validating packets in network communications includes receiving, at networking hardware of a device, a packet communicated from another device over a network; intercepting, by virtual dispersive routing (VDR) software loaded on the device, the packet as it is passed from the networking hardware; determining, by the VDR software, that a destination address of the packet corresponds to an address associated with the device; and determining, by the VDR software, using a virtual machine for a network connection that virtualizes network capabilities of the device, that the packet belongs to a valid application running on the device.