NCA Cracks Down on DDoS ‘Booter’ Sites in Major Cybercrime Bust
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has taken control of a notorious DDoS-for-hire site as part of a relentless campaign to smash down cybercrime’s biggest enablers. The move sees the site’s domain replaced with a stark splash page warning users their data has been seized and that law enforcement will be in touch.
Booter Sites Fuel UK Cyber Attacks
DDoS attacks flood websites with traffic, knocking them offline and causing chaos. These attacks are illegal in the UK under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. “Booter” or DDoS-for-hire services let anyone order attacks in minutes, even with little tech know-how.
These services pose a serious threat to businesses, public services, and national infrastructure. Thousands of criminals have visited the fake NCA-run sites thinking they’re getting tools to launch attacks. Instead, their details are captured for investigation.
Criminals Face Warning or Worse
UK users caught by the sting will be contacted and warned by the NCA or police. Overseas suspects’ info is shared with international law enforcement. Alan Merrett from the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit said:
“Booter services are a key enabler of cyber crime. DDoS attacks have become an attractive entry-level cybercrime due to the perceived anonymity and ease of use. Traditional takedowns and arrests are fundamental to tackling this threat.”
Merrett added, “We won’t reveal how many sites we control or for how long. But anyone wanting to use these services in future won’t know who’s behind them, so why risk it?”
Global Crackdown Under Operation Power Off
This campaign is part of Operation Power Off, a worldwide initiative aimed at shutting down criminal DDoS networks. In December last year, the FBI, working with the NCA, Netherlands Police, and Europol, took down 48 top booter sites.
The NCA has also arrested an 18-year-old Devon man suspected of running one of these powerful platforms. Some of the seized services were responsible for over 30 million cyberattacks, highlighting the scale of the problem.
This bold strike sends a clear message: DDoS criminals have nowhere to hide.
