Public-sector IT managers and hackers are always in a constant struggle, especially since government websites are so often the targets of malicious attacks. Now agencies have one more thing to worry about. The hackers have got themselves a High Orbit Ion Cannon -- actually, an unlimited number of the new weapons.

The name sounds a bit like something out of a “Star Wars” movie, but the High Orbit Ion Cannon (HOIC) is actually a very dangerous free-to-download, open-source program that can turn any user of any skill level into a powerful hacker, at least in terms of one form of attack, a distributed denial-of-service.

It was designed to be extremely easy to use. The user just types in the URL of the target, sets the HOIC to operate in supercharged or normal mode, and then “fires the laser.” The program sends traffic to that URL in an attempt to overload the site and bring it down. A 41-second YouTube video shows how quickly and effortlessly an attack can be launched.

The HOIC is actually an upgrade to an older program, the Low Orbit Ion Cannon, which had been a favored tool of Anonymous and other hacker groups. But the HOIC, which has been around for a little while and is gaining popularity among hackers this year, is much more powerful.

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