Hack attack pushes back some SuperNOFA deadlines

HUD extended deadlines today for some SuperNOFA funding applications due to Internet problems that it blamed in part on a "denial of service attack." The extension notice says, "The processing capacity degraded by this attack, coupled with a high volume of application submissions, rendered the Grants.gov website almost inaccessible during certain times between Tuesday, May 17, 2005 and Thursday, May 19, 2005." Accordingly HUD extended the application deadlines for several programs whose deadlines fell around that period.

The announcement does appear to be suggesting the attack was malicious, as it links to a site that explains prominently, "A 'denial-of-service' attack is characterized by an explicit attempt by attackers to prevent legitimate users of a service from using that service."

In an adjacent notice, HUD reopened the application process for the SuperNOFA's Rural Housing and Economic Development program, which had had applications due May 17. The new deadline for that program is July 11. (PDF versions of the two notices are here and here.)

Does anyone here know if this is the first time the vagaries of the Internet have affected a HUD application deadline? At any rate it's certainly a reminder that new technologies bring new problems.