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Belgian municipalities faced a third consecutive day of cyberattacks on Wednesday, with pro-Russian hacker group NoName057 claiming responsibility. The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) confirmed the attacks, which occurred early in the morning and affected several towns across the country.
At approximately 08:40, the hacker group posted a list on their Telegram account, identifying the latest targets of the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack.
The impacted municipalities include Enghien, Comines-Warneton, Mouscron, Flobecq, Amblève, Colfontaine, and Malmedy. The attacks have overwhelmed local government websites by flooding them with massive amounts of internet traffic, effectively knocking the servers offline and making them inaccessible to the public.
Not Dangerous, but Disruptive
Although the CCB emphasized that these attacks do not pose a direct threat to sensitive information or public safety, they are causing significant disruption.
“The nature of these DDoS attacks is not dangerous in terms of data theft or breaches, but they render websites unusable, affecting local administrative services,” said a CCB spokesperson. The attacks have hampered online services in the affected municipalities, delaying access to public information and essential services for local residents.
Municipal websites serve as crucial portals for citizens to complete administrative tasks such as paying taxes, applying for permits, and accessing public resources.
The cyberattacks have forced local officials to temporarily rely on alternative communication methods, such as social media and email, to ensure continuity of services.
Repeated Targeting
This series of cyberattacks follows similar incidents earlier in the week, where other Belgian city, port, and public authority websites were also hit by DDoS attacks.
All attacks have been claimed by the same pro-Russian hacker group, NoName057, which has been active since 2022. The group has frequently targeted countries that support Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Monday and Tuesday’s attacks affected multiple websites, including those related to Belgium’s port and public transport infrastructure.
Although authorities have been able to restore services relatively quickly in most cases, the persistent nature of the attacks is causing growing concern among cybersecurity experts.
“The frequency of these attacks indicates a sustained effort to disrupt Belgium’s online infrastructure,” explained a cybersecurity analyst.
“While DDoS attacks may not be as severe as other forms of cyberattacks, they are often part of a broader campaign to create instability and uncertainty, particularly in countries that are seen as opponents to Russian interests.”
Government Response
The Belgian government is actively investigating the cyberattacks and working to reinforce the digital defenses of public websites. The CCB is collaborating with local authorities to mitigate the impact of the attacks and prevent further disruptions.
Additional measures, including traffic filtering and server reinforcement, are being put in place to strengthen municipal websites against future DDoS attempts.
Belgium, like many European nations, has expressed strong support for Ukraine, and cyberattacks from pro-Russian groups have become increasingly common as tensions escalate in the region.
The CCB has advised all governmental institutions to remain vigilant and implement additional cybersecurity measures to counter potential future threats.
As of Wednesday afternoon, efforts were underway to restore access to the affected municipal websites, and authorities are hopeful that services will be fully operational soon.