German Police Disrupt DDoS-for-Hire Platform dstat[.]cc; Suspects Arrested

German law enforcement, specifically the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), has successfully disrupted a criminal service known as dstat[.]cc, which enabled users to easily launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The BKA emphasized that this platform significantly lowered the barrier to entry for committing DDoS attacks, making them accessible to individuals without extensive technical knowledge.

Dstat[.]cc was designed as a resource for users to obtain recommendations and evaluations of various stresser services, facilitating targeted DDoS attacks on specific websites to make them unresponsive. The importance of such platforms has come to light in recent police investigations, revealing their role in the surge of DDoS attacks. Radware, a cybersecurity firm, noted that dstat[.]cc allowed botnet operators to assess their services’ abilities through demonstration attacks, enabling them to showcase the strength of their ensuing attacks against both unprotected and secured targets.

The site offered reviews and contact details for booter services, supporting comparison and selection for those seeking to engage in malicious online activities. This resourceful infrastructure significantly contributed to the proliferation of DDoS-for-hire services, posing a growing threat to cyber security.

In conjunction with the takedown of dstat[.]cc, two individuals, aged 19 and 28, were arrested in Darmstadt and the Rhein-Lahn districts. They are suspected of not only operating the DDoS service but also of providing the infrastructure necessary for large-scale narcotics trafficking. The suspects allegedly promoted and sold designer drugs and synthetic cannabinoids via an online platform labeled “Flight RCS,” which was accessible on the clearnet, showcasing their involvement in multiple criminal enterprises.

The operation against dstat[.]cc is part of a broader initiative by law enforcement known as PowerOFF, which has resulted in the closure of various DDoS-for-hire platforms, including notable sites like digitalstress[.]su and Anonymous Sudan, over recent months. This crackdown demonstrates a concerted effort by authorities to diminish the operations of such criminal networks and enhance cybersecurity measures.