Distributed denial of service gangs
target bookmakers

The bookmaking industry is an ideal target for a distributed denial of service attack – but it’s not the only one

You might not think your business has a lot in common with a bookmaker’s – but it’s worth checking. The online betting industry has been the favourite target for many distributed denial of service (or DDoS) attacks over the last few years – but it’s far from being the only one.

A combination of factors makes the online bookmakers such an attractive target for the cyber criminals behind the distributed denial of service attacks. But the bookies are wising up and protecting themselves – forcing the criminals to look at industries and companies that share some of the attributes of the bookies, but not their large security budgets and experience.

Bookies hit by timed distributed denial of service attacks
A survey by the BBC found that 20 online bookmakers suffered 33 website outages between them during March 2004 – timed to disrupt their taking bets on the Cheltenham Festival, one of the most heavily backed race meetings in the world.

Four of the bookies in the survey admitted that they had been subject to distributed denial of service attacks or had received extortion demands during or before the festival.

Bookmaker Blue Square was attacked later in the year. The criminals also threatened to send child pornography images from Blue Square email accounts unless their blackmail demands were met.

Some distributed denial of service attacks may have been successful
Both Blue Square and William Hill, another bookmaker, have stated that they will never give in to extortion – but as few detailed stories have been released by the industry and given the amount the attackers demand compared to the amount a business could lose, it is likely that many more blackmailers have been paid off.

Bookmakers are targeted for several reasons. Their business is very event-generated, relying on sporting occasions with a broad public appeal – the Grand National, the rugby and football World Cups – to generate much of their income. Anyone working in a similar event-driven industry – with a website devoted to Christmas goods, for example – might be equally at threat.

Betting transactions are generally low-value but high-volume – meaning the bookies are reliant on taking a large number of bets to generate their numbers. Taking out a site at its busiest time therefore has a massive effect on its business.

Distributed denial of service attacks easier against many off-shore sites
Bookies also faced the problem that many of them based their sites in off-shore locations for cost or legal reasons. Their chosen destinations frequently had limited bandwidth in and out, meaning a relatively small distributed denial of service attack would be able to take a site down for hours.

Again, any business tempted to host their websites in a low-cost economy should consider the fact they may make themselves equally vulnerable to the cyber criminals.

Bookmakers typically have large security operations and deep pockets. As they erect their defences against the criminals, the attacks have moved elsewhere – prompting many to reconsider their own defences against distributed denial of service attacks.

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