A Distributed Denial-of-Service attack (DDoS attack) aims to overload online services, servers, or network equipment. As a result, websites and other digital systems may become temporarily slow or unreachable for users. This can cause issues such as being unable to log in or having no access to information or services. For organizations that rely on online accessibility, this can disrupt their services. In a DDoS attack, there is no system breach or data theft. These attacks do not impact the integrity or confidentiality of (personal) data.

It is not always possible to gain insight into the individuals behind a DDoS attack or their motivation. Several of the attacks carried out today have been claimed by the pro-Russian actor NoName057(16) and appear to have a pro-Russian ideological motive. The NCSC has been monitoring NoName057(16) for a long time, and the attacks fit within a known pattern. It is expected that these attacks will occur more frequently during the NATO summit.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is investigating the attacks. The NCSC is in contact with national and international partners, monitoring the situation, and keeping an eye on the activities of pro-Russian groups such as NoName057(16). Where possible, the NCSC informs organizations that are (future) targets to provide them with appropriate action perspectives.

Read more about DDoS attacks and what measures organizations can take. Want to know more about how to deal with DDoS attacks from hacktivist groups? Then read the factsheet ‘Dealing with DDoS Attacks from Hacktivist Groups’.

This news article is also on NCSC.nl.