Security News > 2023 > March > U.K. National Crime Agency Sets Up Fake DDoS-For-Hire Sites to Catch Cybercriminals

In what's a case of setting a thief to catch a thief, the U.K. National Crime Agency revealed that it has created a network of fake DDoS-for-hire websites to infiltrate the online criminal underground.

"All of the NCA-run sites, which have so far been accessed by around several thousand people, have been created to look like they offer the tools and services that enable cyber criminals to execute these attacks," the law enforcement agency said.

"Their ease of access means these tools and services have made it easier for people with low level cyber skills to commit offences," the NCA noted back in December 2022, when a coordinated exercise led to the dismantling of 48 booter sites.

The NCA said it will not reveal the number of sites it's operating so that individuals who plan on using such services in the future will have to consider if it's worth the risk.

"Booter services are a key enabler of cyber crime," Alan Merrett, a member of the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit, said in a statement.

"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."

News URL

https://thehackernews.com/2023/03/uk-national-crime-agency-sets-up-fake.html