Hackers attack Dam in Norway and release flow of 7.5 million liters of water

Norwegian authorities officially attributed a recent cybership to a dam in Bremanger, Norway, Russia, raising fears of sabotage against critical infrastructure across Europe. This is the first time that Oslo formally associates such an attack with pro-russy actors.

Last April 7, hackers remotely accessed digital controls of the Bremangerwhich generates aquaculture operations, and opened a valve.

According to the agency, the attack released about 500 liters of water per second during four hours consecutive, until the authorities detected and crashed the intrusion.

Although the Norwegian authorities confirmed that there were no injuries or material damage resulting from the flood of approximately 7.5 million liters water, information services claim that the operation was part of a campaign wider intimidating and destabilizing the population.

“Our Russian neighbor has become more dangerous“, These Beate GangåsDirector of the Norway Police Security Service, at a conference on hybrid attacks.

Attack technical tests came from a three-minute video published on Telegram, with distinctive marks that identify a pro-Russian cybercriminal group.

The Police Prosecutor Terje Nedrebø Michelsen confirmed to Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) the authenticity of the video, noting that although similar propaganda circulates on social networks, This is the first attack confirmed against Norway’s water infrastructure since 2022.

A KriposNorway’s combat fighting unit, told the newspaper that the group responsible for the dam attack is made up of several associated actors who have carried out several cyber operations in recent years in recent years against western companies.

Authorities no longer provided details, leaving the concrete identity of those involved and underlining the difficulties in assigning computer attacks accurately.

Guardians of western information services have warned that the Sabotage campaigns attributed to Russia are becoming increasingly reckless, including vandalism, fire, murder attempts and cybership since the large -scale invasion of Ukraine.

Last year, the director of the British M6, Richard Mooredescribed the Russian actions as a “incredibly reckless campaign”Intended to determine European support to Kiev – an accusation that Moscow continues to deny.

The Russian embassy in Oslo quickly rejected the accusationsclassifying them from “unfounded and politically motivated“In a response sent to Reuters, and added that Russian sabotage allegations are a“mythical”Invented by the Norwegian authorities in their annual security report, published in February.

Norway is one of the main gas exportersIt depends mainly on hydroelectric energy and shares 200 kilometers of border in the Arctic with Russia.

Norwegian information services have repeatedly warned of the risks to national infrastructure and energy production, underlining the growing sophistication of foreign cyber operations.

Segundo Beate Gangås, state actors They often resort to façade groups to demonstrate their abilities and then disclose these actions online, as if to say: “See what we can do if we want“.

“I want the Norwegians to be prepared,” he said.