[criley2]

So, any group of kids with access to one-click DDOS tools can extort $300,000USD worth of services out of a business by attacking large networks?

Is Kim really that proud of this precedent?

Will a $300k ransom be enough next time?

Maybe that's the future of high uptime public networks, an understanding that millions or even tens of millions per year must be set aside for bribes.

Sounds a bit like driving through a corrupt country where one must keep bribes on hand at all times to ensure non-molested travel.

[orf]

Except it's not really $300,000 worth of actual services. If I stuck a $300,000 price tag on a rock and used that as a ransom does not mean they got away with $300,000 worth of stuff. Plus all their groups information has been leaked (http://www.lizardsquad.info), so I put this down to kids with too much bandwidth rather than a precedent setting event.

[StavrosK]

They didn't extort it out of him, he offered it. If they actually asked for it in return for stopping the attack, then it's extortion.

[raverbashing]

"can extort $300,000USD worth of services out of a business"

That's not the value. It's probably going to cost around 50k to 100k

I certainly don't agree with the precedent, though

[criley2]

Value is complicated but "cost" alone isn't the full picture.

Question: how did you calculate the cost of a lifetime membership to something? I'd be curious to see the numbers.

Either way, most tax systems allow the full cost + 1/2 of the difference between cost and fair market value as a tax deduction (the US does it that way, I bet other anglo-derived systems like Australia is similar), which changes the math a little too.