FBI Warns Businesses For Extortion Through DDoS Attacks

The FBI has warned businesses through extortion DDoS attacks on their websites, as these attacks take place more often. The past few months have also several security companies to this form of extortion warned .

The attacks are carried out by a group that DD4BC (DDoS for Bitcoin) names and since last July is active. The FBI warning that Public Intelligence published ( PDF ), the group is not mentioned, but the method does is mentioned is identical. There is first a DDoS attack on the website of the company which usually takes place about an hour and has a size of 20 to 40 Gbps.You then send an e-mail with the demands of the attackers. That require an amount to be paid in bitcoin.

If the victim does not meet the requirements there will be a powerful DDoS attack within 24 hours, which lasts an hour and again has a size of 40 to 50 Gbps. This attack is succeeded by a warning. According to the FBI know most attacked companies to turn down the DDoS attacks by enabling the anti-DDoS services from third parties instead of paying the ransom. Where the attackers had first mainly on gambling sites provide, since April this year, other sectors targeted and larger amounts are required.

Pentagon Blocks 2500 WikiLeaks-Like Website

The Pentagon blocks on its own unclassified defense network 2500 WikiLeaks-like websites, reports the website Public Intelligence , which is one of the blocked sites. Once one of these websites defense personnel attempting to access a message appears.

It says that the website is blocked and there is contact with the local network center should be included to access if it is "mission critical". In 2013, an intelligence analyst made such a request, according to a newly published e-mail. According to the request of the Public Intelligence website was used for open sources. There followed an email exchange between the brigade who had to approve the request and the IT department of the intelligence division.

Eventually the IT department pointed out that it was a WikiLeaks-like website was blocked by the US Cyber ​​Command. If the analyst's website still needed, she could use a different solution. What exactly that solution is in the published email unrecognizable. In the case of Public Intelligence, this is remarkable, because the site has published documents from Snowden or WikiLeaks. Further investigation revealed that the Cyber ​​Command in total 2482 WikiLeaks-like website late block.