Pro-Russian hacktivists (NoName057(16)) continue to target key public and private organizations in the Netherlands with DDoS attacks, causing access problems and service disruptions.
See also: What are DDoS botnets and how to avoid them
The situation was acknowledged in a statement by the country’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), which is part of the Dutch Ministry of Justice. The NCSC said the hacktivist group NoName057(16) claimed responsibility for the attacks via its Telegram channel. While the center noted that the group’s motive is unclear, NoName057(16) said it was retaliation for the Netherlands providing €6 billion in military aid to Ukraine and planning to provide an additional €3.5 billion in 2026 .
The group's latest Telegram message indicates that the attacks are ongoing. According to local media, the DDoS attacks have affected the provinces of Groningen, North Holland, Zeeland, Drenthe, Offen-IJssel, North Brabant, as well as the municipalities of Apeldoorn, Breda, Nijmegen and Tilburg.
According to reports, the web portals of these public organizations were inaccessible for several hours this week, although according to the relevant authorities, there was no breach of internal systems or data.
See also: New XorDDoS malware allows creation of DDoS botnets
NoName057(16) is a group that has been involved in numerous DDoS attacks targeting organizations in Europe and America since March 2022. The group even created a crowdsourced DDoS platform called 'DDoSIA', through which "volunteers" were paid to participate in attacks with computing power.
The platform was a huge success, attracting thousands of users in less than a year and carrying out multiple disruptive attacks on Western targets.
In July 2024, Spanish authorities arrested three members of DDoSIA and seized their devices for further investigation. However, the operation had no meaningful follow-up, as the group's leaders have yet to be formally named or charged, and so the DDoS attacks continue.
See also: X: DDoS attacks behind yesterday's outage?
DDoS attacks have evolved in recent years from simple displays of power to organized campaigns with geopolitical motivations, and groups like NoName057(16) no longer operate as individual hackers, but as networked mechanisms with political targeting, funding, and recruitment. Platforms like DDoSIA are an example of how cyberattacks are becoming more accessible, allowing even non- technical to contribute to attacks in exchange for payment.
Source: bleepingcomputer
🔒 Protect your privacy with Proton VPN
Swiss VPN from the creators of Proton Mail — strict no-logs policy, strong encryption, and built-in NetShield that blocks ads, trackers, & malware.
- ✔ No-logs, based in Switzerland (except 14-Eyes)
- ✔ NetShield: blocks ads, trackers & malicious domains
- ✔ Covers all devices — free version available
The link is an affiliate link — SecNews may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It does not affect the independence of our article writing.
