ProtonMail Collects $ 50,000 Against DDoS attacks

The encrypted e-mail service ProtonMail that make the past few days with DDoS attacks received is now back online and has raised $ 50,000 to protect themselves against such attacks. Because of the attacks users could not in their email.

Last Sunday, after three days of hard work, ProtonMail claimed victory over the attackers. Which had the free encrypted email service extorted. Initially ProtonMail went on to pay the amount requested, some $ 6,000. Despite paying the attacks continued. Because of the attacks decided ProtonMail to deploy additional protection against DDoS attacks.

According to the e-mail service are anti-DDoS solutions very expensive and can cost more than $ 100,000, which is a burden on the budget. Therefore, the public was asked for donations, some in three days, $ 50,000 has produced.

Encrypted Mail Service ProtonMail Extorted Via DDoS Attack

The free encrypted email service ProtonMail has been the victim of extortion, with the extortionists perform for several days of heavy DDoS attacks against the company's website. That's what the email service via a blog posting disclosed.

Because of the attack, users can not get to their e-mail, although the service yesterday as online was. On November 3 ProtonMail received an email from a group of criminals who had previously companies through DDoS attacks have extorted. The group now focuses on Swiss hosting providers. The threat was followed by a DDoS attack that the service went offline for about fifteen minutes. Approximately 11 hours later, a new DDoS attack. Initially which only focused on ProtonMail, but spread to the Swiss data center where the servers are.

This also went to the websites of different tech companies and banks offline. The attack eventually went over 100Gbps over.It did not just attacked more the data center from the Internet ProtonMail, but also routers in Zurich, Frankfurt and other locations where the ISP nodes has listed. Then the email service decided to pay the extortionists, but despite the transfer of 15 bitcoin (5100 euros), the attacks continued. According to ProtonMail is now working with several providers to repel the attack, but were unprecedented in both size and scope.

This morning ISP was attacked so that the e-mail service offline went. "Finding a working solution is therefore not simply" know ProtonMail so late. Due to the nature of the attack should be fairly pricey solutions are enabled which are a burden on the finances of the company. Therefore it was decided a donation campaign to start. A total of 326 people so far donated approximately $ 11,000.