Editing Direct Connect (protocol) (section)

== Direct Connect used for DDoS attacks ==
As the protocol allows hubs to redirect users to other [[Ethernet hub|hubs]], malicious hubs have redirected users to places other than real Direct Connect hubs, effectively causing a [[DDoS|Distributed Denial of Service]] attack. The hubs may alter the [[IP Address|IP]] in client to client connections, pointing to a potential victim.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prolexic.com/news/20070514-alert.php |title=Prolexic Distributed Denial of Service Attack Alert |access-date=2007-08-22 |author=Paul Sop |date=May 2007 |work=Prolexic Technologies Inc. |publisher=Prolexic Technologies Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070803175513/http://www.prolexic.com/news/20070514-alert.php |archive-date=2007-08-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11466|title=Peer-to-peer networks co-opted for DOS attacks|access-date=2007-08-22|author=Robert Lemos|date=May 2007|publisher=SecurityFocus|archive-date=2015-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924114938/http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11466|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dcpp.wordpress.com/2007/05/22/denying-distributed-attacks/|title=Denying distributed attacks|access-date=2007-08-22|author=Fredrik Ullner|date=May 2007|publisher=DC++: Just These Guys, Ya Know?|archive-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315024726/https://dcpp.wordpress.com/2007/05/22/denying-distributed-attacks/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The CTM Exploit surfaced in 2006–2007, during which period the whole Direct Connect network suffered from DDoS attacks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dcpp.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/press-coverage-regarding-dc-being-used-as-a-ddos-tool/ |title=Press coverage regarding DC being used as a DDoS tool |first=Frederik |last=Ullner |date=2008-01-17 |publisher=DC++: Just These Guys, Ya Know? |access-date=2017-05-19 |archive-date=2016-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923190246/https://dcpp.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/press-coverage-regarding-dc-being-used-as-a-ddos-tool/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="longlost" /> The situation prompted developers to take security issues more seriously.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://stormsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/dc_ddos_v2.pdf |title=DC++ and DDoS Attacks |first=Adrian |last=Furtunã |date=July 2008 |access-date=2017-05-19 |archive-date=2016-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109120832/https://stormsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/dc_ddos_v2.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

As of February 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bugs.launchpad.net/dcplusplus/+bug/316096|title=Referral extension|access-date=2009-02-11|author=Jan Vidar Krey|date=February 2009|publisher=DC++ Launchpad Page|archive-date=2011-08-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812213846/https://bugs.launchpad.net/dcplusplus/+bug/316096|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adcportal.com/wiki/index.php/REF |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110707083912/http://www.adcportal.com/wiki/index.php/REF |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-07 |title=Referral extension on ADCPortal wiki |access-date=2009-02-11 |author=Jan Vidar Krey |date=February 2009 |publisher=ADCPortal.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dcpp.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/dc-pointing-out-the-corrupted/|title=DC++ pointing out the corrupted|access-date=2009-02-11|author=Eugen Hristev|date=February 2009|publisher=DC++: Just These Guys, Ya Know?|archive-date=2009-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309071216/http://dcpp.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/dc-pointing-out-the-corrupted/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adcportal.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=431&start=0 |title=CTM Review and the errors of past |access-date=2009-01-27 |author=Toast |date=January 2009 |publisher=ADCPortal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707083925/http://www.adcportal.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=431&start=0 |archive-date=2011-07-07 }}</ref><ref name="longlost">{{cite web|url=https://dcpp.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/long-lost-response-regarding-dc-being-used-as-a-ddos-tool/|title=Long lost response regarding DC being used as a DDoS tool|access-date=2011-07-20|author=Fredrik Ullner|date=2011-07-20|publisher=DC++: Just These Guys, Ya Know?|archive-date=2011-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908194329/http://dcpp.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/long-lost-response-regarding-dc-being-used-as-a-ddos-tool/|url-status=live}}</ref> an extension for [[client (computing)|clients]] was proposed in order for the attacked party to find out the hub sending the connecting users.