Dutch authorities took down 15 DDoS-for-hire services (also known as DDoS booters, or DDoS stressors) as part of the operation conducted in collaboration with Europol, Interpol, the FBI, hosting companies, and domain registrars.
These DDoS-for-hire services allowed users to sign up and launch DDoS attacks against any system exposed online. The police did not reveal the names of the 15 DDoS services.
According to the Central Netherlands Police press release, the authorities have also arrested a 19-year-old man fr om Breda suspected of having compromised two Dutch government websites (MijnOverheid.nl and Overheid.nl) by carrying out DDoS attacks on March 19, 2020.
The Overheid.nl website provides information on the coronavirus outbreak and the measures implemented by the Dutch government to protect the population.
“The availability of this site to citizens is crucial for the country, especially during these times,” the Dutch law enforcement agency stressed.
The second website, MijnOverheid.nl, is a kind of digital letterbox wh ere citizens receive mail from the government, for example about their tax returns or child benefit.
Many DDoS attacks are conducted by young people who are bored or looking for challenge.
“Perpetrators underestimate the consequences of these attacks for victims. Moreover, they do not realize that the police are able to find them and that they are facing a penalty and a substantial claim for damages,” the police said.