Denmark Accuses Russia of Cyberattacks Disrupting Water Supply to Homes

Moscow has been linked to a series of “destructive and disruptive” cyberattacks targeting a Danish water utility company in 2024, as well as a wave of denial-of-service attacks that overwhelmed Danish websites just before regional and local elections last month. This alarming information was revealed by Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service in a statement released on Thursday. The water utility reported that the cyberattack resulted in burst pipes, leaving numerous homes temporarily without water.

Jan Hansen, the head of Tureby Alkestrup Waterworks, located southwest of Copenhagen, emphasized the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. He advised other companies against cutting costs in this area and recommended investing in cyber insurance. The attack, he noted, occurred after the waterworks opted for a less expensive cybersecurity solution that ultimately proved inadequate.

Read more: Russia Is Trying to Overwhelm Europe With its Sabotage Campaign: Western Officials

The Danish intelligence agency characterized these cyberattacks as part of Russia’s “hybrid war” against the West, aimed at creating instability. They asserted that Moscow’s cyber operations are part of a larger strategy to undermine and retaliate against nations supporting Ukraine. Russian hackers have previously targeted other European water facilities, including a Norwegian dam where hackers reportedly opened valves to release water.

Denmark’s Minister of Resilience and Preparedness, Torsten Schack Pedersen, acknowledged that while the attacks resulted in limited damage, they had serious implications. “It shows that there are forces capable of shutting down important parts of our society,” he stated during a news conference, as reported by Danish broadcaster DR.

Schack Pedersen further indicated that Denmark is not adequately prepared to handle such cyber threats, according to DR. These incidents are part of a growing number of attacks that Western officials attribute to a sabotage campaign orchestrated by Russia across Europe. An Associated Press database has recorded 147 incidents, including the two recent cases reported by Denmark.

Not all incidents are made public, and it can take officials months to establish a definitive link to Moscow. While the campaign has been ongoing since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, officials believe it aims to weaken Kyiv’s support while also identifying vulnerabilities within Europe and draining law enforcement resources.

The Danish agency reported that the “destructive attack” on the water utility was executed by the pro-Russian group Z-Pentest, while the cyberattack on Danish websites ahead of the elections was attributed to another group, NoName057(16). Both groups are believed to have connections to the Russian state.

“The Russian state uses both groups as instruments of its hybrid war against the West. The aim is to create insecurity in the targeted countries and to punish those that support Ukraine,” the statement elaborated. Authorities indicated that NoName057(16) acted in November to disrupt the elections, according to DR.

The Tureby Alkestrup Waterworks serves several villages approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Copenhagen. The hackers manipulated water pressure, leading to a pipe burst that left about 50 households without water for around seven hours, while approximately 450 homes experienced a one-hour water outage.

In Germany, authorities summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin on December 12 after the foreign ministry accused Moscow of engaging in sabotage, cyberattacks, and election interference. This included a cyberattack against German air traffic control in 2024, as stated by German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese.

Moscow has been linked to a series of “destructive and disruptive” cyberattacks targeting a Danish water utility company in 2024, as well as a wave of denial-of-service attacks that overwhelmed Danish websites just before regional and local elections last month. This alarming information was revealed by Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service in a statement released on Thursday. The water utility reported that the cyberattack resulted in burst pipes, leaving numerous homes temporarily without water.

Jan Hansen, the head of Tureby Alkestrup Waterworks, located southwest of Copenhagen, emphasized the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. He advised other companies against cutting costs in this area and recommended investing in cyber insurance. The attack, he noted, occurred after the waterworks opted for a less expensive cybersecurity solution that ultimately proved inadequate.

Read more: Russia Is Trying to Overwhelm Europe With its Sabotage Campaign: Western Officials

The Danish intelligence agency characterized these cyberattacks as part of Russia’s “hybrid war” against the West, aimed at creating instability. They asserted that Moscow’s cyber operations are part of a larger strategy to undermine and retaliate against nations supporting Ukraine. Russian hackers have previously targeted other European water facilities, including a Norwegian dam where hackers reportedly opened valves to release water.

Denmark’s Minister of Resilience and Preparedness, Torsten Schack Pedersen, acknowledged that while the attacks resulted in limited damage, they had serious implications. “It shows that there are forces capable of shutting down important parts of our society,” he stated during a news conference, as reported by Danish broadcaster DR.

Schack Pedersen further indicated that Denmark is not adequately prepared to handle such cyber threats, according to DR. These incidents are part of a growing number of attacks that Western officials attribute to a sabotage campaign orchestrated by Russia across Europe. An Associated Press database has recorded 147 incidents, including the two recent cases reported by Denmark.

Not all incidents are made public, and it can take officials months to establish a definitive link to Moscow. While the campaign has been ongoing since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, officials believe it aims to weaken Kyiv’s support while also identifying vulnerabilities within Europe and draining law enforcement resources.

The Danish agency reported that the “destructive attack” on the water utility was executed by the pro-Russian group Z-Pentest, while the cyberattack on Danish websites ahead of the elections was attributed to another group, NoName057(16). Both groups are believed to have connections to the Russian state.

“The Russian state uses both groups as instruments of its hybrid war against the West. The aim is to create insecurity in the targeted countries and to punish those that support Ukraine,” the statement elaborated. Authorities indicated that NoName057(16) acted in November to disrupt the elections, according to DR.

The Tureby Alkestrup Waterworks serves several villages approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Copenhagen. The hackers manipulated water pressure, leading to a pipe burst that left about 50 households without water for around seven hours, while approximately 450 homes experienced a one-hour water outage.

In Germany, authorities summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin on December 12 after the foreign ministry accused Moscow of engaging in sabotage, cyberattacks, and election interference. This included a cyberattack against German air traffic control in 2024, as stated by German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese.