In a concerning cybersecurity breach, the Norwegian Police Security Service has revealed that pro-Russian hackers successfully infiltrated a dam in southwestern Norway back in April, resulting in a significant incident that has raised alarms.
Reports from Norwegian daily newspaper VG detailed how the hackers managed to gain access to the dam’s control system, manipulating valves for a duration of four hours, which led to a sudden and forceful release of water until the valves were eventually closed.
During a recent public presentation on pro-Russian cyber operations, the Chief of the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), Beate Gangås, shed light on the incident, emphasizing the growing trend of cyberattacks on Western infrastructure. Gangås warned that these attacks are often not intended to cause direct damage but rather to showcase the hackers’ capabilities, urging Norway to be on high alert for future hacking attempts.
Concurrently, Nils Andreas Stensønes, the head of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, highlighted Russia as the primary threat to Norway’s security, attributing cyberattacks as part of Russia’s broader hybrid warfare strategy.
This incident at the Norwegian dam is reminiscent of a similar case in January 2024, where hackers associated with the Kremlin breached a Texas water facility’s system, resulting in an overflow. Such incidents underscore the growing concern over cybersecurity vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure worldwide.
Situated in the municipality of Bremanger, approximately 150 kilometers north of Bergen, the targeted dam, while not utilized for energy production, suffered from a security loophole that the hackers exploited, possibly due to a weak password, as reported by local media sources.
