UK NCSC warns of Russia-linked hacktivists DDoS attacks

The UK government warns that Russia-linked hacktivists are continuing DDoS attacks against critical infrastructure and local government systems. The alert, published by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – says the attacks come from Russian-aligned hacktivist groups motivated by ideology rather than money. NoName057(16) has been active since 2022, launching frequent DDoS strikes against government and private organisations across NATO and Europe, including the UK’s local councils.

The group operates a self-built botnet and has over 4,000 supporters, exploiting poorly secured VNC connections to access OT devices in critical infrastructure, with impacts ranging from disruptions to water, food, agriculture and energy sectors. Authorities urge organisations to strengthen defences, understand weak points, and prepare response plans, including DoS protections and regular system monitoring to detect and handle attacks quickly.