comes complete with it targeted at PayPal's payment infrastructure. (Click the photo for a larger version).Screenshot: Wired.com

In a Web 2.0 twist in the ongoing attempts to punish Visa, Mastercard, Amazon and PayPal for cutting off donations to WikiLeaks, those seeking revenge by turning their computers into a traffic-flooding zombie no longer even have to download software. Instead they can just visit the right webpage and let JavaScript, the lingua franca of the interactive web, do the work for them.

Those who have been joining in the so-called Operation Payback attacks Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on the companies have been mostly relying on a downloadable tool. Few who are part of Anonymous are actual “hackers,” and instead join in the attacks by running specialized software provided by more technically adept members. Instructions for which sites to target and when are passed around dedicated online chat channels and websites, creating a sort of online insurgency.

Anonymous’ DDoS tool allow members to connect to the botnet voluntarily, rather than mobilizing hijacked zombie machines, as traditional DDoS tools do. It is called LOIC, which stands for “Low Orbit Ion Cannon,” and evolved from an open source website load-testing utility. A new feature called Hivemind was added, which connects LOIC to anonops for instructions, and allows members to add their machines to an attack at will.

But now even installing the software isn’t necessary as an Anonymous member has created an online page that will turn a user’s browser into an attack tool. Once you press the attack button, the webpage repeatedly and rapidly asks the target’s webserver for a given file, preferably a large image. A link to the tool was repeatedly passed around the chat rooms where the attacks are being organized.

The tool’s author is unknown, and a quick perusal of the JavaScript shows that it’s a fairly basic bit of programming.

That said, the development illustrates that it’s now fairly trivial for anyone to join in such attacks. All you’ll need to know is the right webpage to visit and how to click on a big button.

However, the tool does not let you hide your IP address, and anyone considering using the tool should be aware that three Anonymous members, across two different online campaigns, have been arrested, and two convicted, for participating in denial of service attacks.

Authors: Ryan Singel

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