In order to sabotage the online black market, the NCA set up a number of fictitious DDoS websites and offered booter or DDoS-for-hire services. It is important to keep in mind that the UK's Computer Misuse Act of 1990 makes DDoS attacks illegal.
All of these websites were created by the NCA to appear genuine, giving the visitor the idea that they could initiate DDoS attacks using the provided tools and services.
According to the agency, many a thousand individuals have visited the sites, although, after registering on the site, visitors are instead presented with a splash screen telling them that their data has been captured and law enforcement authorities would contact them instead of receiving the services they had signed up for.
In the most recent report, the NCA confirms to have identified one of the websites it was operating, with a message that the data of users has been collected and that they “will be contacted by law enforcement.”
The individuals who are currently in the UK will be contacted by the NCA or police and are warned about engaging in any cybercrime-related activity, whereas, the details of those overseas are being handed out to international law enforcement.
DDoS Attacks
In a DDoS attack, compromised computer systems bombard a target (server or website), causing severe financial or reputational damage to the targeted organization. “DDoS-for-hire, or ‘booter’, services allow users to set up accounts and order DDoS attacks in a matter of minutes […] Such attacks have the potential to cause significant harm to businesses and critical national infrastructure, and often prevent people from accessing essential public services,” said the NCA.
Alan Merrett, member of NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit says “booter services” are a key enabler of cybercrime. “The perceived anonymity and ease of use afforded by these services means that DDoS has become an attractive entry-level crime, allowing individuals with little technical ability to commit cyber offences with ease,” he said.
He added that traditional site takedowns and arrests are key components of law enforcement’s response to threats while adding, “We have extended our operational capability with this activity, at the same time as undermining trust in the criminal market.”
The NCA says that it will not reveal how many sites it has or for how long they have been running. Therefore, they have urged individuals looking for these services to stay cautious as they might not know who is operating them.
