Lizard Squad, the “hacker” group best known for attacking Microsoft’s Xbox Live and Sony’s PlayStation Network, has now launched a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack tool. Now anyone can now take down the website or online service of their choice thanks to “Lizard Stresser,” which we’re not linking to for obvious reasons.
The hacker has launched a “booter” service called LizardStresser, which charges between $6 and $500 – paid for using the bitcoin cryptocurrency – to help people launch DDoS attacks on any website or internet service they choose.
“This booter is famous for taking down some of the world’s largest gaming networks such as Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Jagex, BattleNet, League of Legends and many more!” explains its website.
“With this stresser, you wield the power to launch some of the world’s largest denial of service attacks.”
Announced on 30 December by the group’s official Twitter account, LizardStresser’s highest level of attack promises 30,000 seconds – just over eight hours – for $129.99 a month or $500 for “lifetime” usage.
Not only is Lizard Stresser open to anyone willing to pay, but customers can also use it against any target they wish. As a result, if someone wanted to target Xbox Live and PlayStation Network again, they could do so, even though Lizard Squad itself promised not to attack those services anymore.
In an interview with Daily Dot, a representative of Lizard Squad claimed that the Christmas attacks on Sony and Microsoft had been “a huge marketing scheme” for the DDoS service.
“Playing games on a Twitter is fun, but it comes down to the money. The objective here, for me at least – can’t speak for others – is money.” He added that 25 people had paid to use LizardStresser within hours of its launch.
After filesharing mogul Kim Dotcom offered the group free vouchers for his Mega service to call off the attacks, the same Twitter account promised that “we are no longer attacking PSN or XBL, nor are any members. We will not be attacking them in the future”.
Instead, the group is launching a DDoS service that could be used by other people to launch such attacks.
Seeking commercial gain is a risky move for Lizard Squad, however, with the FBI investigating its Christmas attacks, and security researcher Brian Krebs claiming to have identified two of its members already.
