LOIC
Encyclopedia
LOIC is an open source network stress testing application, written in C#. A JavaScript
version has also been created enabling a DoS from a web browser
and also a Qt edition called loiq written in C++
exists. LOIC was initially developed by Praetox Technologies, but later it was released into the public domain
.
LOIC named after a fictional weapon in the Command & Conquer
series of video games. The Ion Cannon was first popularized in the original Star Wars movies. Ion Cannons were used for orbital defense against low orbit Star Destroyers on Hoth in The Empire Strikes back.
(or when used by multiple individuals, a DDoS attack) on a target site by flooding the server with TCP
packets or UDP
packets with the intention of disrupting the service of a particular host. People have used LOIC to join voluntary botnet
s.
rules can filter out most traffic from DDoS attacks by LOIC, thus preventing the attacks from being fully effective.
, an offshoot of the Anonymous group
, to attack websites from the Church of Scientology
websites, then by Anonymous itself to successfully attack the Recording Industry Association of America
's website in October 2010,, and again during Operation Payback
in December 2010 to attack the websites of companies and organizations that opposed WikiLeaks
. LOIC was utilized by many attackers, despite the fact that a network firewall could easily filter out network traffic it generates, thus rendering it only partly effective.
More than 30,000 downloads of the tool were reported to have occurred between 8 and 10 December 2010. If an attack is not routed through an anonymization network
such as Tor
, traceable IP address
records can be logged by its recipient. This can be used to identify the individual user conducting DDoS attacks from logs kept by their ISPs. On January 27, 2011, five people were arrested in the UK in connection with the Operation Payback attacks, while in June 2011 a further three LOIC users were arrested in Spain for their involvement in the web attacks. On 14 June 2011, it was reported that Turkish police arrested 32 individuals who allegedly attacked government websites in protest against the introduction of state level web filtering. The individuals are thought to be members of Anonymous that used the LOIC tool in their protest. .
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
version has also been created enabling a DoS from a web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
and also a Qt edition called loiq written in C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
exists. LOIC was initially developed by Praetox Technologies, but later it was released into the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
.
LOIC named after a fictional weapon in the Command & Conquer
Command & Conquer
Command & Conquer, abbreviated to C&C and also known as Tiberian Dawn, is a 1995 real-time strategy computer game developed by Westwood Studios for MS-DOS and published by Virgin Interactive. It was the first of twelve games to date to be released under the Command & Conquer label, including a...
series of video games. The Ion Cannon was first popularized in the original Star Wars movies. Ion Cannons were used for orbital defense against low orbit Star Destroyers on Hoth in The Empire Strikes back.
Use
LOIC performs a denial-of-service (DoS) attackDenial-of-service attack
A denial-of-service attack or distributed denial-of-service attack is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users...
(or when used by multiple individuals, a DDoS attack) on a target site by flooding the server with TCP
Transmission Control Protocol
The Transmission Control Protocol is one of the core protocols of the Internet Protocol Suite. TCP is one of the two original components of the suite, complementing the Internet Protocol , and therefore the entire suite is commonly referred to as TCP/IP...
packets or UDP
User Datagram Protocol
The User Datagram Protocol is one of the core members of the Internet Protocol Suite, the set of network protocols used for the Internet. With UDP, computer applications can send messages, in this case referred to as datagrams, to other hosts on an Internet Protocol network without requiring...
packets with the intention of disrupting the service of a particular host. People have used LOIC to join voluntary botnet
Botnet
A botnet is a collection of compromised computers connected to the Internet. Termed "bots," they are generally used for malicious purposes. When a computer becomes compromised, it becomes a part of a botnet...
s.
Countermeasures
Security experts quoted by the BBC indicated that well-written firewallFirewall (computing)
A firewall is a device or set of devices designed to permit or deny network transmissions based upon a set of rules and is frequently used to protect networks from unauthorized access while permitting legitimate communications to pass....
rules can filter out most traffic from DDoS attacks by LOIC, thus preventing the attacks from being fully effective.
Notable uses
LOIC was utilized by Project ChanologyProject Chanology
Project Chanology is a protest movement against the practices of the Church of Scientology by members of Anonymous, a leaderless Internet-based group that defines itself as ubiquitous...
, an offshoot of the Anonymous group
Anonymous (group)
Anonymous is an international hacking group, spread through the Internet, initiating active civil disobedience, while attempting to maintain anonymity. Originating in 2003 on the imageboard 4chan, the term refers to the concept of many online community users simultaneously existing as an anarchic,...
, to attack websites from the Church of Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
websites, then by Anonymous itself to successfully attack the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
's website in October 2010,, and again during Operation Payback
Operation Payback
Operation Payback is a coordinated, decentralized group of attacks on opponents of Internet piracy by Internet activists using the "Anonymous" moniker - a group sometimes affiliated with the website 4chan. Operation Payback started as retaliation to distributed denial of service attacks on torrent...
in December 2010 to attack the websites of companies and organizations that opposed WikiLeaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
. LOIC was utilized by many attackers, despite the fact that a network firewall could easily filter out network traffic it generates, thus rendering it only partly effective.
More than 30,000 downloads of the tool were reported to have occurred between 8 and 10 December 2010. If an attack is not routed through an anonymization network
Anonymizer
An anonymizer or an anonymous proxy is a tool that attempts to make activity on the Internet untraceable.It is a proxy server computer that acts as an intermediary and privacy shield between a client computer and the rest of the Internet...
such as Tor
Tor (anonymity network)
Tor is a system intended to enable online anonymity. Tor client software routes Internet traffic through a worldwide volunteer network of servers in order to conceal a user's location or usage from someone conducting network surveillance or traffic analysis...
, traceable IP address
IP address
An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing...
records can be logged by its recipient. This can be used to identify the individual user conducting DDoS attacks from logs kept by their ISPs. On January 27, 2011, five people were arrested in the UK in connection with the Operation Payback attacks, while in June 2011 a further three LOIC users were arrested in Spain for their involvement in the web attacks. On 14 June 2011, it was reported that Turkish police arrested 32 individuals who allegedly attacked government websites in protest against the introduction of state level web filtering. The individuals are thought to be members of Anonymous that used the LOIC tool in their protest. .
See also
- Script kiddieScript kiddieA script kiddie or skiddie, occasionally skid, script bunny, script kitty, script-running juvenile or similar, is a derogatory term used to describe those who use scripts or programs developed by others to attack computer systems and networks and deface websites.-Characteristics:In a Carnegie...
- Hackers