Norwegian Police Blame Pro-Russian Hackers for Dam Sabotage

In a developing incident, Norwegian police officials have confirmed that pro-Russian hackers are likely behind the suspected sabotage at a dam in April, which affected water flows.

The Norwegian Police Security Service (Sikretstjenesten) has been investigating the incident, and director Beate Gangås revealed that cyberattacks are increasingly being carried out against Western nations to stoke fear and unrest. The Associated Press has documented more than 70 incidents on a map tracking a campaign of disruption across Europe blamed on Russia.

Since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks and other incidents, ranging from vandalism to arson and attempted assassination. Intelligence officials told the AP that the campaign is becoming more violent.

A Dam Sabotage in Norway

In April, hackers gained access to a digital system remotely controlling one of the dam's valves and opened it to increase the water flow. The valve was open for around four hours but did not pose a danger to the surrounding area, according to Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).

A three-minute video showing the dam's control panel and a mark identifying a pro-Russian cybercriminal group was published on Telegram in April, police attorney Terje Nedrebø Michelsen told NRK. Similar videos have previously circulated on social media, but this is the first time that Norwegian officials have publicly suggested pro-Russian hackers may have successfully targeted critical water infrastructure in Europe.

A Warning from the Director of the Norwegian Police Security Service

Gangås warned that state actors typically use other groups to hack into facilities to show "look what we can do if we want to," before bragging about it afterwards. She also stated that such activity is only likely to increase in Norway and other European countries.

"We are at a critical point where the cyber threat landscape is changing rapidly, and we need to be prepared for more complex and sophisticated attacks," Gangås said during a briefing alongside the head of Norway's intelligence agency. "Hybrid attacks against Norway: are we at war?"

Consequences of the Sabotage

The incident has raised concerns about the potential consequences of such sabotage, including disruptions to critical infrastructure and potential harm to people.

"This type of attack is not only a threat to our national security but also to the safety of our citizens," Gangås said. "We need to be vigilant and work together to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."