How was it that a loosely-coupled group of cyber-protestors could launch -- with varying degrees of success -- targeted distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks against sites such as MasterCard, PayPal, PostFinance, and the website belonging to a Swedish prosecutor?

Turns out it's quite simple. All an attacker need do is download the open source network stress testing tool known as LOIC (the Low Orbit Ion Cannon) that is widely available. Launching an attack with LOIC is mind-numbingly easy: just point and shoot. LOIC will then flood the target with HTTP requests, UDP and TCP packets.

Those participating in the pro-Wikileaks riots could operate on their own, or choose to connect their system to the "LOIC Hivemind" voluntary botnet that is centrally controlled by those behind Operation Payback.

Since the launch of the attacks, LOIC has been downloaded nearly 70,000 times. Cyber protestors engaging in digital rioting such as web-site defacements, and denial-of-service attacks, and even inserting messages in malware have existed for some time. Such attacks being highly connected isn't new, either. They have been socializing on message boards and instantly c

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