Europol’s Operation PowerOFF, a major international effort to combat DDoS-for-hire services, has successfully disrupted 27 popular “booter” and “stresser” websites that cybercriminals use to carry out Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks, which flood websites with excessive traffic, often cause service outages and significant disruptions to online businesses and public services. The operation, coordinated across 15 countries, resulted in the seizure of the websites and the arrest of three administrators. Over 300 users involved in planning such attacks were also identified, marking a substantial blow to the illegal DDoS industry.
The festive season is historically a peak time for DDoS attacks, with cybercriminals targeting businesses and organizations to cause financial losses and reputational damage. These attacks can also be politically motivated, with hacktivist groups using them to advance their causes. Operation PowerOFF is designed to tackle the problem at multiple levels, targeting the infrastructure supporting these attacks, as well as the individuals involved in launching them. In addition to seizing illegal platforms, the operation is also focused on preventing future incidents by educating the public and deterring potential offenders.
Europol played a central role in coordinating the operation, providing support through its European Cybercrime Centre (EC3). This support included facilitating meetings, conducting technical sprints, and offering expertise in crypto-tracing and forensic analysis. The operation also benefited from the exchange of information through Europol’s Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT), which facilitates international collaboration among law enforcement agencies. The global scope of this operation highlights the importance of international cooperation in addressing cybercrime.
To further combat DDoS attacks, Operation PowerOFF includes an online advertising campaign aimed at discouraging individuals from engaging in DDoS-for-hire activities. The campaign targets young people searching for DDoS tools online, using Google search ads and YouTube ads to deliver messages about the consequences of such actions. Additionally, law enforcement agencies have sent over 250 warning letters and more than 2,000 emails to users of illegal services. These efforts, combined with the disruption of key platforms, underscore the importance of both reactive and proactive measures in tackling the growing threat of cybercrime.
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