The NoName ransomware group, which is suspected to be linked to Russia, is reportedly stepping up its cyberattacks on Finland. A recent wave of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks has targeted a wide range of critical sectors in Finland.
The NoName cyberattack targeted a variety of key sectors, including the Energy Industry Association, which plays a pivotal role in overseeing the country’s energy policy.
Additionally, Technical Academic TEK, which represents technical experts and engineers, has also been targeted, representing a deliberate attack on key intellectual and technical expertise in the country.
The impact has further intensified, with a cyber attack reaching the Finnish legal information portal Oikeus.fi, highlighting the hacker group’s interest in disrupting legal infrastructure.
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The Local Government Association, the cooperative body that binds local governments, has come under attack, affecting decentralized governance structures.
At the same time, the Consumer Disputes Commission, which is responsible for resolving consumer disputes, has also become a new victim, representing a comprehensive attack on various aspects of Finnish society and services.
More information: Cyber attack on Finland
The severity of the cyber-attack on Finland was felt by the various targeted industries, indicating a strategic and widespread attack. If the cyber attack on Finland proves to be true, the impact of this multi-industry attack could be far-reaching.
The situation intensifies further with a message from the hacker group: “We continue to remind the Finnish government how bad the idea of having a NATO base near Russia is.”
The Cyber Express team has thoroughly checked the websites reported to have been attacked by NoName and found them to be working without any issues. However, attempts to gather details from the affected organizations proved futile as there was no official response from any organization at the time of writing this report.
Previous cyber attacks against Finland
In the first week of January 2024, ransomware group NoName launched a series of cyberattacks against several government agencies in Finland.
Targets include important organizations such as Traficom, the Finnish National Cyber Security Center (NCSC-FI), Railways, the Finnish Transport and Communications Infrastructure Regulatory and Development Agency, and multiple subdomains of the Finnish Roads Agency.
Additionally, the Central Chamber of Commerce, Bank of Finland, Helsinki Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Finnish Arbitration Institute were also victims of the NoName DDoS attack.
Why target Finnish organizations?
The escalation of DDoS attacks against Finnish organizations is rooted in geopolitical tensions. Ukraine’s alignment with the European Union and the United States has fueled resentment as relations between Russia and the West have become strained during the Russia-Ukraine war.
In response, Russian-linked hacker groups have stepped up cyber operations targeting organizations based in the EU and the US. This pattern is also evident in the intentional targeting of the Finnish sector by the NoName ransomware group.
If NoName’s claims are proven, the potential impact could be severe.
Targeting across multiple areas indicates a deliberate effort to disrupt critical services and compromise sensitive data. The energy industry, academic institutions, legal services, municipalities, and consumer affairs are all important components of Finland’s infrastructure, and compromises between them can have cascading effects on different aspects of state functioning. 0
As the investigation into the NoName cyberattack progresses, it is important that affected organizations communicate openly and work together to strengthen their cybersecurity practices.
The international community must also remain vigilant in the face of cyber threats that evolve across borders and pose risks to national stability and security.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for informational purposes only and the user is solely responsible for the reliability of the information. Cyber Express assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of this information or the consequences of its use.