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Norway spy chief blames Russian hackers for dam sabotage in April
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on August 13, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
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Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on August 13, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Norway's intelligence agency blames Russian hackers for an April cyberattack on a dam, highlighting increased security threats.
By Nerijus Adomaitis
ARENDAL, Norway (Reuters) -Russian hackers briefly took control of a dam in Norway earlier this year, the head of the Nordic country's counter-intelligence agency said on Wednesday, the first time Oslo has officially attributed the cyberattack to its neighbour.
While in command of the dam in Bremanger, western Norway, on April 7, the hackers opened a flood gate and released 500 litres (132 gallons) of water per second for four hours before the attack was detected and stopped, authorities previously said.
No one was injured during the attack.
Norway produces most of its electricity via hydropower dams and intelligence authorities have previously warned of the risk of attacks on its energy infrastructure.
"Over the past year, we have seen a change in activity from pro-Russian cyber actors," Beate Gangaas, head of Norway's PST security police agency, said in a speech.
The incident at Bremanger was one such activity, Gangaas added.
"The aim of this type of operation is to influence and to cause fear and chaos among the general population," she said.
"Our Russian neighbour has become more dangerous."
The Russian embassy in Oslo did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Last September, Britain's spy chief accused Russia of waging a "staggeringly reckless campaign" of sabotage in Europe, partly to scare European countries from helping Ukraine. Moscow denies this is true.
After her speech, Gangaas told Reuters that she was going public with the attribution to warn the general population and to try to prevent Russia launching further attacks.
"I want Norwegians to be prepared," she said in an interview.
NATO-member Norway shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. Like the other Nordic countries, it is a staunch supporter of Ukraine. It is also Europe's largest supplier of gas, which is mostly transported via a network of pipelines under the North Sea.
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis, writing by Gwladys Fouché, editing by Christina Fincher)
Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These attacks are often aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information.
Hydropower is a form of renewable energy that generates electricity by using the flow of water, typically from rivers or dams, to turn turbines.
Cyber attacks are malicious attempts to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems, networks, or devices, often for financial gain or to steal sensitive information.
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