Security Web Sites Fall to DDoS Attack

Two prominent Web sites that specialize in remote access software known as rootkits have been taken offline by a large distributed denial of service attack (DDoS). The take-down was allegedly ordered by a shadowy group of hackers and rootkit authors who took offense at criticisms of their software posted on the sites.

The programs are powerful spyware tools that, when combined, enable remote attackers to secretly compromise other machines using attack Web pages. The programs are sold online at Web sites like Spyinstructors.com and are popular with the people behind spam campaigns, who use the tools to plant remote-control programs that are then used to send out spam, Hoglund says.

Within hours of the first post from ATmaCA, the Rootkit.com Web site was under attack by a network of more than 500 compromised computers, or bots, that flooded the site with about 170,000 requests a second, making it unreachable for most Internet users, he says.

Two rootkit-focused Web sites operated by Holy Father were also downed by DDoS attacks after that person posted remarks critical of ATmaCA and SIS-Team, according to an e-mail from Holy Father. More on DDoS Attacks in my next post.

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