European police email 75,000 people asking them to stop DDoS attacks

The first StrictlyVC of 2026 hits San Francisco. Tickets are going fast. Register now. Save up to $680 on your Disrupt 2026 pass. Ends 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. REGISTER NOW. TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo LatestStartupsVentureAppleSecurityAIApps EventsPodcastsNewsletters SearchSubmit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest A coalition of global law enforcement agencies have sent emails to more than 75,000 alleged cybercriminals who paid for a service to launch cyberattacks that can knock websites offline. On Thursday, Europol announced the coordinated operation against several distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) for-hire services, which allow criminals to launch cyberattacks without needing to have any hacking skills, nor the need to run their own infrastructure.  Part of the law enforcement action — dubbed Operation PowerOFF — included Europol sending warning emails and letters to more than 75,000 people who are suspected of using these DDoS-for-hire services.  Europol said it obtained information about the alleged cybercriminals by raiding and seizing servers associated with these services, allowing the police to identify their registered users. The action also resulted in four arrests, the takedown of 53 domains, and police executing 24 search warrants.  DDoS attacks remain relatively common for their ability to cause disruption while being relatively easy to carry out, thanks in part to for-hire services. Last year, Cloudflare said it mitigated what it called the largest DDoS attack to date, which registered a peak of 29.7 terabits per second. In the last few years, the FBI has conducted several operations against DDoS-for-hire services. StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited. Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. European police email 75,000 people asking them to stop DDoS attacks Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 10 seconds ago In Brief It’s not just you — Bluesky is (sorta) down Sarah Perez 2 hours ago Security Two Americans sentenced for helping North Korea steal $5 million in fake IT worker scheme Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 3 hours ago X LinkedIn Facebook Instagram youTube Mastodon Threads Bluesky TechCrunchStaffContact UsAdvertiseCrunchboard JobsSite Map Terms of ServicePrivacy PolicyRSS Terms of UseCode of Conduct OpenAIIranGas PricesTeslaAppleTech LayoffsChatGPT © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.