Domain Registration Related News
DDoS Counterstrikes Prompt Debate
March 2004
How far can companies go to defend their web
sites against distributed denial of service (DDoS)
attacks? The question was hotly debated in
security circles this week after Symbiot Inc.
announced an upcoming product that can launch
"counterstrikes" against DDoS perpetrators.
The notion of retaliatory attacks was panned by
security analysts and network operators, who say
such actions would congest networks, damage
innocent parties and violate acceptable use
policies - if not the law. Such tactics are
unlikely avenues for corporate DDoS victims such
as Microsoft or The SCO Group.
But they may be of interest to subjects of "DDoS
blackmail" schemes, which in recent months have
targeted online gambling sites. Several online
casinos have admitted making payments to
cyber-extortionists. Some who have refused to pay,
including the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, say
their operations were subsequently disrupted by
DDoS attacks.
Symbiot says it will release its product March 31.
The Austin, Texas company has published "rules of
engagement" that argue that in rare cases, the
target has the right to respond with "asymmetric
force," including counter-DDoS attacks and
"special operations applying invasive techniques."
Symbiot's iSIMS product is in the final phase of
beta testing at "several customer sites and in use
on live networks," according to vice president
William Hurley II, and is also being tested by
partners for integration with other security
solutions. Hurley said iSIMS will be sold under a
subscription agreement, and deployed on a
customer's network as a set of server appliances.
"Symbiot has no intention of doing anything
illegal, and we strongly discourage our clients
from using our software in any way that is
illegal, unethical, or violates any law," said
Hurley. "We contend that in incredibly rare
circumstances, asymmetrical responses may be
justified. We are enabling our customers to plan
and execute appropriate countermeasures when
malicious attackers have been accurately
identified."
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