John Z Black

John Z Black Apr 27, 2026 Policy, Law & Governance #ddos #europol #booter #law-enforcement #cybercrime

DDoS-for-hire just got a lot more expensive.

Europol has seized 53 domains in the second wave of Operation Power Off, targeting the secondary tier of “booter” services. This isn’t just about arresting admins anymore. Law enforcement is now entering a “Prevention Phase,” sending 75,000 warning letters directly to the teenagers and casual users paying to knock sites offline.

The machinery underneath is also coming to light. The recent exposure of ProxySmart revealed an industrial network of 87 SIM farms across 17 countries, providing the authentication bypass needed for this level of fraud. The “script kiddies” might be launching the attacks, but the backend infrastructure is remarkably sophisticated.

The era of the anonymous $5 booter is ending. Not with one sweep, but through sustained, professional attrition.

See the full impact of the takedown and why Europol is focusing on the demand side of the DDoS economy.