Online Casinos Targeted by Hackers for Extortion
Online gambling sites have become targets of extortion plots by internet hackers, and one company has revealed that new, more sophisticated forms of attack have caused system shutdowns. Gala Coral E-Commerce found its gambling websites shut down by overload for about half an hour after suffering a cyberattack.
Peter Bassill, the company's head of internet security, said the hackers spent over four months preparing by using stolen credit card information to infiltrate the website and set up accounts. Then the actual attack occurs using as many as 30,000 personal computers set up as bots, which duplicate the patterns established by legitimate users.
The bots have been developed to a point they managed to block a port firewall which attempted to stop the attack, all the while continuing the seige by sending further data.
Gala Coral said its websites were brought down by sabotage as often as twice a year, and attacks have been preceded by demands for $100,000 or more.
The company has asked for help from law enforcement agencies, and points out that the issue has become one of national security.
Bassill remarked, "If they can do that to us, a large gaming company, then think what they could do if they find a way to target companies like BT or the nuclear-power industry."
It sounds like the old-fashioned protection racket has found its way to online business. This is clearly not just a gambling problem, although those businesses may be the initial targets because of the lack of sympathy and attention likely from law enforcement. If not quickly addressed, the world may soon find this problem will creep into every crevice of the internet.
