Europol Cracks Down on Holiday DDoS Attacks

Source: M4OS Photos via Alamy Stock Photo

NEWS BRIEF

Law enforcement agencies around the world have seized 27 of the most popular Web platforms used to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

The international operation, which remains ongoing, is known as PowerOFF and was coordinated by Europol, involving 15 countries. The operation targeted various levels of operatives in the groups engaged in the cybercriminal activities, including three administrators who were arrested in France and Germany. It also identified 300 other cybercriminals.

Three of the so-called “booter” and “stresser” websites that were taken down as part of Operation PowerOFF include zdstresser.net, orbitalstress.net, and starkstresser.net.

“While these platforms are often marketed as legitimate tools for stress-testing, they are frequently misused to facilitate malicious attacks,” said Sarah Jones, cyber threat intelligence research analyst at Critical Start, in an emailed statement to Dark Reading. “By dismantling these services and identifying more than 300 customers, law enforcement agencies aim to disrupt the entire ecosystem addressing both the supply of these tools and the demand from those who use them for illegal activities.”

The holiday season in particular has in the past been a peak period for hackers to carry out DDoS attacks, ultimately leading to financial loss, reputational damage for retailers, and operational disruption.

Law enforcement agencies launched an online ad campaign using Google search ads and YouTube to deter individuals from engaging in criminal activities like DDoS, highlighting the consequences of such attacks. Law enforcement also plans to conduct knock-and-talks, and use warning letters and emails.

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