DOJ Seizes 48 Domains Selling Booter Services

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How Booters Work​

Booter services are advertised through a variety of methods, including Dark Web forums, chat platforms, and even youtube.com. They accept payment via PayPal, Google Wallet, and/or cryptocurrencies, and subscriptions can range in price from just a few dollars to several hundred per month. The services are generally priced according to the volume of traffic to be hurled at the target, the duration of each attack, and the number of concurrent attacks allowed.

The Impact on Cybersecurity​

The seizure of these 48 domains is only one part of a larger effort by government agencies around the world to protect citizens from cyberattacks. The FBI estimates that booter services have been used to launch hundreds of thousands of attacks against targets like gaming sites, news sites, financial institutions, universities and schools, hospitals—even utility companies have been targeted. In addition to disrupting online operations for those organizations directly affected by such attacks, these distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks also affect innocent bystanders who may be using the same web servers or broadband networks as the intended target at any given time.

In a major crackdown on DDoS-for-hire services, the U.S. Department of Justice today seized 48 domains that were being used to sell these illegal services. This is a huge victory for businesses and individuals who have been affected by these powerful digital sieges in the past. The DOJ also charged six U.S. men with computer crimes related to their alleged ownership of popular DDoS-for-hire services.


The DOJ stated that these domains were used to launch millions of digital sieges capable of knocking websites and even entire network providers offline. Booter services are typically advertised through a variety of methods, including Dark Web forums, chat platforms and online videos. Payment for these services can be made via PayPal, Google Wallet, and/or cryptocurrencies, with subscriptions ranging from just a few dollars to several hundred per month.


In order to protect against future DDoS attacks, the DOJ is urging businesses and individuals to take precautionary steps such as regularly patching their systems, installing firewalls or intrusion detection systems on their networks, training employees on cyber security best practices, and running vulnerability scans. The DOJ also recommends reporting any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.


The seizure of these 48 domains and the indictments of their owners is a major victory for those who have been victimized by DDoS attacks in the past. It is also a reminder that businesses and individuals must remain vigilant in order to protect themselves from cyber criminals. The DOJ's work in shutting down these services sends a clear message that it will not tolerate malicious online activity, and serves as an example of its commitment to protecting consumers and businesses from cyber threats.

Booter services are often used by malicious actors to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against websites and online services. These attacks overwhelm a website or service with requests, causing it to slow down or become unresponsive. In some cases, DDoS attacks can even result in permanent damage, such as data corruption or loss. Booters make these types of malicious activities easy for anyone to carry out and are therefore a common tool for cybercriminals looking to disrupt the operations of their targets.


Given how easy booter services make launching DDoS attacks, they have become popular tools among hackers who want to cause disruption without investing too much time or money into the process. Unfortunately, this means that many legitimate websites and services may find themselves the victims of such attacks. It's therefore important for website owners and operators to be aware of booter services, how they work, and what steps can be taken to protect against them.


The first step in defending against DDoS attacks from booters is to ensure that your website or service has a strong security posture. This includes regular patching, using encryption protocols where appropriate, and using firewalls to block malicious traffic. Additionally, you should use monitoring tools to detect suspicious activity on your network in order to identify any potential attack before it happens. Implementing these measures will help protect your online assets from the damaging effects of booter-fueled DDoS attacks.


Finally, if your website or service is the victim of a DDoS attack, you should take action immediately. This includes contacting your hosting provider and/or Internet Service Provider (ISP) to notify them of the attack, and requesting assistance in mitigating the damage caused by it. Additionally, you should consider filing a criminal complaint with your local law enforcement agency if applicable, as DDoS attacks are illegal in many countries. Taking these steps can help ensure that those responsible for launching the attack are held accountable for their actions.


In summary, booter services make launching DDoS attacks easy and attractive to malicious actors who want to cause disruption without investing too much time or money into doing so. To protect against such attacks, website owners and operators should ensure their security posture is up-to-date, use monitoring tools to detect suspicious activity, and take quick action if their website or service is the victim of a DDoS attack. By taking these steps, they can help ensure their online assets remain secure and protect against costly damage caused by booter-fueled attacks.


Maintaining your digital security is vital in today’s world, and being aware of the dangers posed by booter services is an important part of that effort. Taking the necessary steps to defend against such threats can help keep your website or service safe from harm. If you have any further questions about booters or DDoS attacks, please don't hesitate to contact us for more information.

Colon, Palmer and their co-defendants allegedly used anonymous hosting services to hide the location of their servers as well as created multiple fake companies to conceal the true ownership of the booter websites. They are accused of using stolen credit cards to pay for hosting services, domain names and other goods related to their operations. The indictment alleges that Colon received approximately $140,000 in profits from his unlawful activities between 2018 and 2026. In addition to these charges, Palmer is also charged with wire fraud for his alleged involvement in a scam targeting potential victims through phishing emails purporting to offer tech support services. If convicted of all charges, both Colon and Palmer face up to five years in prison.


Conclusion:
This action taken by the DOJ is an important step in combating cybercrime by making it more difficult for malicious actors to purchase booter services online. It also sends a strong message that those who engage in illegal activities online will be held accountable for their actions. That said, this is only one piece of many needed efforts to secure cyberspace; organizations should continue investing in proactive measures such as encryption technologies and employee education programs designed to protect them from cyberthreats down the line.