The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has been running several fake DDoS-for-hire websites in an effort to gain insight into the cybercrime marketplace and identify individuals engaging in these illicit activities. The websites claim to offer users the ability to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against a target of their choice. These services, also known as ‘booter’ or ‘stresser’ services, are dangerous as they allow individuals with limited skills and resources to launch highly disruptive attacks.
The NCA’s fake DDoS-for-hire websites are part of an international law enforcement operation named ‘Power Off’, which previously resulted in the seizure of 46 internet domains associated with stresser services. The NCA has recently replaced the homepage of one of its fake websites with a page informing visitors that their data has been collected and that they should expect to be contacted by law enforcement.
All of the NCA-run sites have been accessed by several thousand people and have been designed to look like they offer the tools and services required to launch DDoS attacks. However, rather than being given access to these tools, users’ data is collected by investigators.
Identified users of the fake DDoS-for-hire websites who are located in the UK will be contacted by the NCA or police and warned about the consequences of their actions. Information about users in other countries will be passed on to their respective law enforcement agencies.
It is likely that many of the users of these websites lack the knowledge to hide their true identity from a well-resourced law enforcement agency. This highlights the importance of exercising caution when engaging in illicit activities online and understanding the risks involved.
In summary, the UK’s National Crime Agency has been running several fake DDoS-for-hire websites as part of their international law enforcement operation ‘Power Off’. The websites were designed to look like they offer users the ability to launch DDoS attacks but, in reality, user data is collected by investigators. Identified users of the websites will be contacted by the NCA or police and warned about the consequences of their actions. It is important to remember that engaging in illegal activities online carries a significant risk and that it is difficult to remain anonymous when dealing with a well-resourced law enforcement agency.