A series of cyber attacks by pro-Russian hackers have targeted council websites across Salford, Bury, Trafford, and Tameside.
- The hacking group NoName057(16) claimed responsibility, citing political motivations against the UK’s support for Ukraine.
- The attacks used DDoS methods, overwhelming websites with traffic and causing temporary disruptions.
- Authorities confirmed guidance was given to councils but assured no personal data was compromised.
- These events highlight ongoing cyber risks and the geopolitical tensions influencing them.
The recent cyber attacks targeting council websites in Salford, Bury, Trafford, and Tameside were orchestrated by the pro-Russian hacking group NoName057(16). This group stated on social media platform X that their actions were in response to what they described as the ‘Russophobic UK authorities’ support for the criminal Kiev regime’. By employing distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, they significantly increased traffic to these websites, rendering them temporarily inaccessible.
Despite the relatively low sophistication of DDoS attacks, they can nevertheless cause substantial disruption. A spokesperson from the National Cyber Security Centre mentioned, ‘Whilst DDoS attacks are relatively low in sophistication and impact, they can cause disruption by preventing legitimate users from accessing online services.’ In light of these disruptions, the National Cyber Security Centre has provided guidance to the affected councils to combat such threats in the future.
The impacted councils have reported that while the attacks did limit access to their websites, they did not result in any breach of personal data. This assurance brings some relief amidst the growing concerns over data security. The disruption serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities facing digital infrastructure amidst mounting geopolitical tensions.
This incident underscores the persistent cyber threats linked to international political conflicts.
