By Eric King
A number of sites suspected of launching or facilitating web attacks have been clamped down as part of an international crackdown on web attackers.
British police seized over 60 computers and other gadgets suspected of being used to carry out web attacks.The raids were part of an international operation targeting customers of Webstresser, which Europol calls the “world’s biggest marketplace” for distributed denial of service attacks.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) plan to execute further raids against another 400 suspected UK Webstresser customers. The raid comes in the wake of special intelligence monitoring of a hostile network of web attackers that seek to cripple sites for a number of reasons. Some do it for malicious reasons, others for nothing short of mischief. Malicious networks of site attackers charge monthly fees to achieve their evil goals, but are systematically being broken down.
“The motion taken exhibits that though customers assume that they will cover behind usernames and crypto-currency, these don’t present anonymity,” stated Jim Stokley, deputy director of the NCA’s nationwide cyber-crime unit,
“We have now already recognised additional suspects linked to the positioning, and we are going to proceed to take motion,” he added. The motion directed at Webstresser clients is a part of a broader worldwide push in opposition to suspected DDoS-for-hire websites and their customers.In December, US police forces charged three males accused of operating DDoS companies.
It additionally shut down 15 websites suspected of providing related companies.
CEASE AND DESIST
Europol said Webstresser had helped to launch more than four million DDoS attacks, which funnel huge amounts of data at a target to knock it offline, and had more than 151,000 registered customers.
Prices to bombard websites started as low as €15 (£13) a month, it added.
The NCA said it had issued “cease and desist” notices to many of the people from whom it had seized gadgets.
These warn of future legal action, if the recipient continued to carry out web attacks.
IDENTIFICATION
“The action taken shows that although users think that they can hide behind usernames and crypto-currency, these do not provide anonymity,” said Jim Stokley, deputy director of the NCA’s national cyber-crime unit,
“We have already identified further suspects linked to the site, and we will continue to take action,” he added.
The action against Webstresser customers is part of a broader international push against suspected DDoS-for-hire sites and their users.
In December, US police forces charged three men accused of running DDoS services.
It also shut down 15 sites suspected of offering similar services.
‘Online games’
Romanian police had also shut down two other suspected DDoS sites and planned to share information seized during raids about their customers, said Europol.
Independent security expert Brian Krebs said professional cyber-security organisations had criticised the co-ordinated action against those running DDoS or “booter” services and their customers.
“The vast majority of both groups are young men under the age of 21 and are using booter services to settle petty disputes over online games,” he wrote.
Instead, he said, some had called on police to tackle “more serious cyber