The U.K.'s National Crime Agency has revealed that it has created a network of fake DDoS-for-hire websites in an effort to catch criminals. The sites are designed to look like they offer tools and services that enable cyber criminals to launch DDoS attacks. However, when users register, their data is collected by investigators. The effort is part of an ongoing international joint effort called Operation PowerOFF, which is aimed at dismantling criminal DDoS-for-hire infrastructures worldwide. DDoS-for-hire services are illegal platforms that offer access to a network of infected devices to other criminal actors seeking to launch DDoS attacks. These platforms typically charge their clientele between $10 and $2,500 per month. "Their ease of access means these tools and services have made it easier for people with low level cyber skills to commit offences," the NCA noted back in December 2022.