"UK Crime Fighters Wrangle 'Several Thousand' Potential Cyber Criminals in DDoS-For-Hire Honeypot"
After falling for a UK law enforcement honeypot operation, thousands of suspected cybercriminals have revealed their identities. The National Crime Agency (NCA) of the UK created a fake Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS)-for-hire website that prompted a large number of people to enter information that will be used to investigate them. Throughout the operation, multiple fake websites claiming to offer cybercriminal services were developed. The operation was part of a global effort by law enforcement to crack down on cybercriminals launching DDoS attacks against online businesses and users. During the operation, the NCA reported that "several thousand" individuals visited the websites and provided personal information in order to gain access to criminal services. Investigators disclosed that prospective consumers' information had been compiled and would be used to target cybercriminals. According to an NCA statement, all the NCA-operated websites have been designed to appear as if they provide the tools and services that enable cybercriminals to conduct these attacks. DDoS-for-hire services, also known as booter services, allow users to set up accounts and coordinate DDoS attacks in a matter of minutes. In the past, these attacks have shown to be very effective against companies, critical national infrastructure, and public services. This article continues to discuss the recent crackdown on DDoS-for-hire services.