In a large-scale international effort, law enforcement agencies have intensified action against cybercrime, focusing on users involved in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The coordinated operation aims to disrupt illegal DDoS-for-hire services and prevent future misuse.
The initiative, called Operation PowerOFF, brought together 21 countries during an action week that began on April 13, 2026. Authorities issued over 75,000 warning emails and letters to identified users. The operation also resulted in 4 arrests, 25 search warrants, and the takedown of 53 domains linked to DDoS-for-hire platforms.
Countries involved in the operation included Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Ahead of the action week, officials conducted targeted operations to identify key suspects and raise awareness about the illegal nature of such services. DDoS-for-hire platforms allow users to launch attacks on websites, servers, and networks using specialised infrastructure such as servers and databases.
By seizing this infrastructure, authorities disrupted the systems enabling these attacks. Investigators also accessed databases containing details of more than 3 million criminal user accounts, which helped strengthen global enforcement coordination.
Officials highlighted that DDoS-for-hire services remain one of the easiest forms of cybercrime to access. Even individuals with limited technical skills can use these tools to disrupt businesses and online services.
As part of the prevention phase, authorities have launched awareness campaigns to discourage future activity. These include placing targeted ads on search engines, removing over 100 related URLs, and issuing warning messages on blockchains used for illegal payments.
A dedicated website has also been updated to provide transparency on enforcement actions. Law enforcement agencies, including those from the United States and multiple international partners, contributed to the operation.
Authorities confirmed that Operation PowerOFF will continue with further coordinated actions to combat cybercrime and strengthen global digital security.
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