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2024-12-12
Cybercriminals hoping to disrupt online services over the holidays got a lump of coal in their stockings thanks to a global law enforcement takedown.
This international effort, codenamed Operation PowerOFF, disrupted 27 of the most popular platforms used to launch Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. These “booter” and “stresser” services, often disguised as network testing tools, allow attackers to overwhelm a target website with junk traffic, making it inaccessible to legitimate users.
Holiday DDoS Spike Targeted
The holiday season is a prime time for DDoS attacks, with attackers aiming to cause financial loss or disrupt operations for businesses and organizations. Motivations behind these attacks can range from economic sabotage and extortion to activism by groups like Killnet or Anonymous Sudan.
Global Cooperation Takes Down Attack Platforms
Europol, the European
Arrests Made, Users Identified
The takedown
Strong Message Sent to Cybercriminals
This operation sends a clear message to cybercriminals: DDoS attacks are not a risk-free endeavor. Law enforcement agencies around the world are actively working to disrupt these activities and hold perpetrators accountable. Iris Koster, a cyber specialist with the Central Netherlands police, emphasized this point, stating, “Criminals who make money by shutting down the ICT of others are simply punishable and they will notice that.”
Dutch Police See Success
Dutch authorities participating in PowerOFF identified around 200 suspects linked to DDoS-for-hire websites. Four individuals aged 22-26 were prosecuted for conducting thousands of attacks, with one suspect alone responsible for over 4,169 attacks. Police have also taken down a frequently used DDoS-for-hire site and signaled their intent to make further arrests.
What Undercode Says:
Operation PowerOFF is a significant victory for law enforcement in the fight against cybercrime. By disrupting DDoS-for-hire platforms and holding individuals accountable, this operation disrupts the ecosystem that enables these attacks. The international collaboration and focus on identifying users demonstrate a more holistic approach to combating DDoS threats.
However,
References:
Reported By: Securityaffairs.com
https://www.stackexchange.com
Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org
Undercode AI: https://ai.undercodetesting.com
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