The popular internet security site CastleCops has suspended operations as of December 23rd, 2008. Visitors were greeted with the message below:

Greetings Folks,

You have arrived at the CastleCops website, which is currently offline. It has been our pleasure to investigate online crime and volunteer with our virtual family to assist with your computer needs and make the Internet a safer place. Unfortunately, all things come to an end. Keep up the good fight folks, for the spirit of this community lies within each of us. We are empowered to improve the safety and security of the Internet in our own way. Let us feel blessed for the impact we made and the relationships created.

CastleCops had been instrumental in the ongoing battle against spam, malware, phishing, and DDOS attacks—they themselves becoming the target of several massive DDOS attacks during 2008.

Official reasons for the sudden shutdown are not known. Speculation includes a rumor that Microsoft made the owner close it (he is a recent employee), and the site becoming too much trouble with the almost constant DDOS attacks.

They were a huge resource to the anti-spam/malware community as a central meeting and planning point. They will surely be missed.