Using javascript to 'donate' your computer to some cause was demonstrated a while ago to attempt to win the engineyard contest: <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=715020" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=715020</a><p>Of course, given that javascript is not exactly as fast as compiled C on a CPU with a few hundred threads they didn't make it, but the same technique applied to DDoS is what javascript excels at.<p>The upshot of all this is that pissing off anybody with more than 100 followers on twitter now has the potential to take down all but the largest sites on the web.<p>Basically anybody with an axe to grind and a way of rustling up some buddies can set up a DDoS, no technical knowledge whatsoever required.
Reference: <a href="http://anonsp.hostoi.com/" rel="nofollow">http://anonsp.hostoi.com/</a><p>Using JS LOIC against a server not owned by you could be illegal!