14 DAY TRIAL // Janet, a private Internet network set up for UK's scientific, research, and educational institutes has been under severe DDoS attacks that started on December 4 and seemed to give leeway towards the end of December 8.
The attacks were very well documented by UK's JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee). According to the incident timeline on the JISC Twitter account, the network's administrators were able to fend off attacks in initial phases and even mount defensive countermeasures.
At one point, the JISC team ceased publishing new updates because it seemed that the data provided about their responses was being used by the assailants to coordinate and adjust ongoing attacks.
During the four days since the attacks started and until they relented, the Janet network was often unreachable or working very sluggish, but it is now fully operational.
In recent months, the trend of DDoS-for-Bitcoin extortion has gained more traction amongst cyber-criminal gangs. This does not appear to be the case.
In past cases, when DDoS attacks were carried out on university networks, it was usually because of discontent students. While this might make some sense in today's world where cheap DDoS botnets can be rented online for a few hundred dollars, it is still too early for details about the attacker to surface.
No online hacking crew has until now claimed responsibility for the attack.
#TT169535 - The Janet network has been suffering from further denial of service attacks. Network is beginning to look more stable.
— Jisc Major Incidents (@jiscmi) December 4, 2015
#TT169554 - We suspect that those behind today’s DDOS attack are adjusting their point of attack based on our twitter updates.
— Jisc Major Incidents (@jiscmi) December 7, 2015
#TT16900 - A denial of service has been identified. Engineers and security teams are working resolve the issue.
— Jisc Major Incidents (@jiscmi) December 8, 2015