Destruction of Pro-Russian Hacker Group: Operation ‘Eastwood’
On Wednesday, Europol and Eurojust announced the successful conclusion of Operation ‘Eastwood’, aimed at dismantling the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16), which has carried out numerous attacks on Ukraine and its allies, including critical infrastructure targets in Europe.
According to reports from Ukrinform, during the operation that began on July 15, a botnet utilizing hundreds of compromised computers worldwide was neutralized, and several suspects were identified, including key organizers residing in Russia.
It is emphasized that NoName057(16) has shown support for Russian aggression since the onset of the war against Ukraine.
This joint operation involved law enforcement agencies from twelve countries, including the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, and the USA, conducting synchronized actions against the perpetrators and their infrastructure. As a result, two individuals were arrested, one in France and one in Spain.
German authorities issued six arrest warrants for suspects residing in the Russian Federation, two of whom are considered key figures in NoName.
In total, seven arrest warrants have been issued for six Russian citizens, who, according to European agencies, are responsible for numerous attacks on critical infrastructure, including power suppliers and public transport.
Furthermore, twenty-four searches have been conducted at the group's offices, including one in France, where a significant amount of evidence has been seized and is currently being analyzed.
The hackers employed DDoS attacks, which involve intentionally overloading websites and applications with targeted requests, rendering them inaccessible.
The group executed several attacks on critical infrastructure during significant political events.
According to European agencies, the group conducted 14 attacks in Germany, some of which lasted several days, affecting around 230 organizations, including arms manufacturers and governmental bodies.
Attacks also occurred across Europe during the European elections. In Sweden, government and banking websites were targeted, and several attacks took place during the address of the President of Ukraine to the European Parliament in June 2023 and during the peaceful summit in Switzerland in June 2024.
By the end of 2024, the hacker group also claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on the websites of several French cities. Recently, according to the same sources, the Netherlands became a target for hackers during the NATO summit at the end of June.
