Operation PowerOFF Disrupts DDoS-for-Hire Services and Identifies 3 Million Accounts

Authorities from 21 countries carried out a coordinated Operation PowerOFF crackdown against DDoS-for-hire infrastructure, dismantling booter services used to launch attacks against online marketplaces, telecommunications providers, and other internet-facing services. The action resulted in 53 domain takedowns, 4 arrests, and 25 search warrants, while investigators seized servers, infrastructure, and databases tied to the illegal platforms.

Data recovered during the operation helped investigators identify more than 3 million criminal user accounts, and law enforcement sent over 75,000 warning emails and letters to suspected users. Europol said the services lowered the barrier to launching disruptive attacks for motives ranging from curiosity and hacktivism to extortion and anti-competitive activity; prevention measures also included removing more than 100 URLs advertising booter services from search results, posting blockchain warning messages, and updating the Operation PowerOFF website as the international enforcement effort continues.