Hackers knock Network Solutions websites offline with DDoS attack

Hackers have hit web registrar Network Solutions with a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, affecting its own and an unknown number of its customers' websites.
Network Solutions confirmed the attack in a public statement, promising that it is working to get its customers' sites back online as soon as possible. "Some of you have posted about issues with your sites. Yesterday, some Network Solutions customer sites were compromised. We're investigating the cause of this situation, but our immediate priority is restoring your sites as quickly as possible," read the statement.
"Unfortunately, cybercrime is a persistent threat in today's world. Despite our best efforts, no one is immune – including large providers like Network Solutions. We're always working to create a more secure and reliable internet environment for our customers. We appreciate your patience as we work to restore the affected sites."
The number of sites affected remains unknown and at the time of publishing Network Solutions had not responded to V3's request for comment. The potential harm is high though, as Network Solutions currently manages over 6.6 million web domain names.
The attack is the second to hit Network Solutions' hosted websites. Tech giant Cisco reported that hackers had managed to hijack and redirect 5,000 domain names registered with the company to name servers belonging to a Ztomy.com. The purpose of the new attack remains unknown.
DDoS is a growing threat facing businesses of all sizes. The tactic is a common one, traditionally favoured by hacktivist groups such as Anonymous. Disturbingly CloudFlare chief executive Matthew Prince told V3 this is slowly changing and common criminals are increasingly using the tactic to extort money from businesses, threatening to mount DDoS attacks on their sites if they do not pay the "protection" fee.