DDoS attacks disrupt Winning Poker Network operations.
An online poker platform, the Winning Poker Network (WPN), is experiencing increased attacks on its technological infrastructure. Phil Nagy, the CEO of WPN, believes these issues are caused by competitors. He believes that distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are a problem for the whole industry.
Companies that run internet services are vulnerable to disruptions because their servers can be overloaded. These outages lead to lost revenue and unhappy customers who seek alternatives. In the realm of online gambling, where real money is involved, customers' confidence in the security of the systems is particularly crucial. Additionally, the technical structure here is more fragile, as games are played in real-time.
Attackers exploit this vulnerability and hold companies to ransom. They inundate the systems with requests, making them inaccessible (denial of service). Typically, these companies don't discuss such incidents, either paying the ransom or hiring specialized help to defend themselves.
The Winning Poker Network has suffered these attacks for years, even with existing defense systems. Recently, a "Million Dollar Sunday" event was heavily disrupted. Players couldn't access the servers, resulting in unsatisfactory gameplay and missing deposits. This caused WPN to incur significant losses. During a Twitch livestream on September 4th, CEO Phil Nagy discussed the exploits:
"In the past three days, we've faced 26 different attacks with up to 14 million IP addresses. [...] I'm offering 10 Bitcoin for evidence of those responsible."
Since the launch of "Million Dollar Sunday" in late 2014, Nagy has received numerous DDoS warnings, although most have failed to materialize. He refused to succumb to blackmail attempts and stands by his decision not to respond in the future. The attackers often contact him via chat and make demands. This time, the perpetrator revealed a motive for their actions:
"This is my job. I'm being paid by another side to attack you."
The attacker's credibility is questionable, but Nagy believes he successfully proved his authorship. He consulted other professional players and insiders, who corroborated his suspicions. Still, Nagy is not completely certain whether his competitors are responsible.
His network experiences more attacks than others, leading him to believe his popular tournaments are under attack. However, he couldn't name any specific suspects. Many of the attacks could just be "technical difficulties," he said.
It's hard to determine the authorship of DDoS attacks because they're often carried out using pirated botnets. These botnets are potentially millions of devices - from computers to routers, televisions, smartphones, surveillance cameras, or even internet-enabled washing machines - exploiting software vulnerabilities to send repeated requests to the target simultaneously, causing the target to crash if successful. DDoS attacks are available for rent online.
Hackers often sell their botnets for "contract work." Akamai, a security service provider, suggests that large attacks on a network like the WPN, lasting years, are likely costly. Nagy's decision never to pay ransoms implies that only a competitor would withstand this financial burden.
Nagy acknowledged that the attacks couldn't be stopped; they could only be minimized. His company learned from the attacks and aims to remove known vulnerabilities with partners. It remains to be seen whether these measures will be sufficient to protect WPN in the future. During the livestream, Nagy offered his viewers a deal:
"As long as I'm building, and as long as you're here."
Increased attacks on the Winning Poker Network
The WPN is experiencing more frequent attacks on its technology. The introduction of "Million Dollar Sunday" in December 2014 coincides with the onset of the attacks, leading Nagy to suspect competitors are behind it. However, he didn't name any specific suspects.
"We seem to be hit much more often than anyone else. Of course, it's also possible that the others simply don't want to talk about it and are blaming 'technical difficulties.'"
As for DDoS authorship, Nagy is unsure. DDoS attacks are facilitated by distributed botnets, making it difficult to prove who's responsible. Nagy's stepped-up vigilance and proactive security measures with partners may help protect his network from similar challenges in the future.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
