The DigitalStress site, known for offering DDoS services, has been shut down by authorities, and the suspected owner has been apprehended
It has come to light that in the earlier part of this month, a platform providing DDoS services was brought offline by the police after gathering information on its illicit clientele.
Visitors to the DigitalStress site today will no longer encounter boastful messages about its capacity to “test networks for vulnerabilities” for a mere $80 per month, accompanied by assurances of “no record-keeping.”
Instead, they will be met with a landing page reminiscent of other cybercriminal sites seized under “Operation PowerOff”.
A snippet of the message states:
The National Crime Agency has amassed significant data from users of this domain. This data will be shared with global law enforcement agencies for further action. Individuals in the UK associated with this website will be contacted by law enforcement authorities.
Operation PowerOFF is committed to cracking down on DDoS-for-Hire platforms and ensuring accountability for criminal activities.
Operation PowerOff is an enduring, cross-border law enforcement initiative targeting “booter” platforms that facilitate DDoS attacks, disrupting the accessibility of legitimate users to websites.
Concurrently, authorities in Northern Ireland have detained an individual believed to be “Skiop,” one of the operators of the DigitalStress platform.
Anyone contemplating orchestrating a DDoS attack would be well-advised to heed the cautionary message posted by the NCA on the now-seized DigitalStress site:
The National Crime Agency has and will continue to run services similar to this website.
In March 2023, UK authorities disclosed that they had implemented phony DDoS platforms to gather intelligence on cybercriminals.
As outlined in the NCA’s official statement on the DigitalStress seizure, they “infiltrated communication platforms used for discussing DDoS launches.”
They even issued warnings on Telegram, a platform favored by cybercriminals, advising them that “we are monitoring your activities.”
“We will persist in our joint efforts with law enforcement partners to disrupt the operations of those exploiting cyber technology to cause harm, be it locally or globally,” stated Detective Chief Inspector Paul Woods from the Police Service of Northern Ireland. “Today’s positive development should be a clear warning to all cyber offenders that, regardless of their motives or methods, they are not untouchable and will face scrutiny.”
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