Pro-Russian hacking group targets council websites with DDoS attack

A pro-Russian hacking group, NoName057(16), has claimed responsibility for a series of cyberattacks targeting various UK websites, including local councils and the Association for Police and Crime Commissioners.

The group stated on X that the attacks were in response to the UK’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict. The method used was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, which aims to disrupt website functionality by flooding them with internet traffic.

While NoName057(16) claimed success, the impact of the attacks appears to be limited. Councils in Blackburn and Darwen, and Exeter, reported no disruptions to their websites. Other organizations allegedly targeted, including the Association for Police and Crime Commissioners, Harwich International Port, and Cardiff city council, did not provide immediate comment.

Arun district council acknowledged experiencing website issues, with services disrupted for a few hours. A spokesperson confirmed that its website was fully operational again by 11:30 am on Tuesday. National Highways also reported a similar DDoS attack, but stated that their website would soon be operating normally.

This recent activity follows a similar attempt by the same group last October, where several council websites were briefly disabled. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) downplayed the severity of DDoS attacks, describing them as “relatively low in sophistication and impact” but capable of causing temporary disruption.

The NCSC recently issued new guidance in response to a series of cyberattacks on retailers, including Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods. These attacks involved criminals impersonating IT help desks to gain unauthorized access to systems. The NCSC is currently investigating potential links between these retail attacks.