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Scrape Timestamp (UTC): 2025-12-19 12:28:52.652
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Denmark blames Russia for destructive cyberattack on water utility. Danish intelligence officials blamed Russia for orchestrating cyberattacks against Denmark's critical infrastructure, as part of Moscow's hybrid attacks against Western nations. In a Thursday statement, the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) identified two groups operating on behalf of the Russian state: Z-Pentest, linked to the destructive water-utility attack, and NoName057(16), flagged as responsible for the DDoS assaults ahead of November's local elections in Denmark before the 2025 elections. "The Russian state uses both groups as instruments of its hybrid war against the West. The aim is to create insecurity in the targeted countries and to punish those that support Ukraine," intelligence officials said. "Russia's cyber operations form part of a broader influence campaign intended to undermine Western support for Ukraine. The DDIS assesses that the Danish elections were used as a platform to attract public attention – a pattern that has been observed in several other European elections." Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Denmark has participated in international sanctions against Moscow and has supported Ukraine throughout the war, providing military equipment, training, and financial assistance. "This is very clear evidence that we are now where the hybrid war we have been talking about is unfortunately taking place. It once again puts the spotlight on the situation we find ourselves in in Europe," Denmark's defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in a press statement, according to The Guardian. "It is completely unacceptable that hybrid attacks are carried out in Denmark by the Russian side," Poulsen noted, adding that the Danish foreign office would also summon the Russian ambassador for clarifications on the incidents. In August, the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) attributed the opening of outflow valves at a dam to pro-Russian hackers who had gained control of critical operational systems. Three years ago, the country's National Security Authority (NSM) also linked a pro-Russian criminal group known as Legion to DDoS attacks that disrupted several important websites and online services. More recently, on December 10th, CISA issued a joint advisory with the FBI, NSA, European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), and various other cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies worldwide, warning that pro-Russia hacktivist groups, including NoName, Z-Pentest, Sector16, and CARR (Cyber Army of Russia Reborn), are actively targeting critical infrastructure organizations worldwide. Break down IAM silos like Bitpanda, KnowBe4, and PathAI Broken IAM isn't just an IT problem - the impact ripples across your whole business. This practical guide covers why traditional IAM practices fail to keep up with modern demands, examples of what "good" IAM looks like, and a simple checklist for building a scalable strategy.
Daily Brief Summary
Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) attributes cyberattacks on Denmark's water utility to Russian state-linked group Z-Pentest, part of broader hybrid warfare tactics.
NoName057(16), another Russian-linked group, conducted DDoS attacks targeting Denmark's local elections, aiming to destabilize and attract public attention.
These cyber operations are part of Russia's strategy to undermine Western support for Ukraine amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Denmark has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine, providing military, financial, and training assistance, which may have prompted these cyberattacks.
Denmark's defense minister condemned the attacks, highlighting the seriousness of hybrid warfare threats in Europe and the need for robust cybersecurity measures.
The Danish foreign office plans to summon the Russian ambassador for explanations, indicating diplomatic repercussions for these cyber incidents.
This situation reflects a pattern of Russian cyber activities targeting critical infrastructure across Europe, as noted in recent advisories by global cybersecurity agencies.