Russian hackers briefly took control of a dam in Norway in early April, causing millions of gallons of water to be released before the attack was halted, Norway’s spy chief revealed on Thursday.
The hackers manipulated the Bremanger dam in western Norway, releasing the equivalent of approximately three Olympic-sized swimming pools of water over the course of four hours while in control of the dam’s computer systems.
Blame on Russian hackers
Beate Gangås, head of Norway’s security police service, attributed the cyberattack to Russian hackers during a speech, as reported by Norwegian media. The Russian embassy denied any involvement in the breach, according to Reuters.
Pattern of attacks
This incident is the latest in a series of alleged attacks by Russian hackers targeting Western energy systems in recent years. Russia has been previously accused of cyberattacks on Ukraine’s power grid, resulting in widespread blackouts in 2015 and 2016. Hackers supported by Russia have consistently targeted the energy sector.
