NEW YORK — Network Solutions, a company that provides tools for companies, groups and individuals to operate websites, says a hacking attack caused service disruptions to its customers.

The company says it was the target of a distributed denial-of-service attack in which hackers direct thousands of computers to access its servers all at once. The fake traffic makes it difficult for legitimate visitors to get through. The servers hit contained directory information on customers' websites, making it difficult for people to find and reach those sites. The company's own website was among those affected.

The company says the problem was mitigated by Wednesday afternoon and websites should be working normally.

The company, owned by Web.com Group Inc., didn't say how long the attack lasted or offer details about the extent of damages.