Norway spy chief blames Russian hackers for dam sabotage in April

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 said Gangaas’ declarations were "unfounded and politically motivated".

 

"It is obvious that the PST is unsuccessfully trying to substantiate the mythical threat of Russian sabotage against Norwegian infrastructure this year, which it itself invented in its February (annual) report," it said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

 

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 the allegation. 

 

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 from 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 and Leslie Adler)