Denmark warns of heightened Russian state cyber threat

Denmark’s Agency for Social Security has warned that the threat of destructive cyberattacks by Russian state-backed hackers has intensified, according to a press release.

The agency urges all operators of critical national functions to sharpen their focus on cybersecurity. While the overall threat level for destructive cyberattacks remains classified as “medium,” the risk now includes attempts to disrupt core societal functions such as power, water, and internet supply.

“There are those who do not wish us well, and in the worst case, they aim to disrupt our society’s core functions,” said Christine Engel Christensen, deputy director of the Agency for Social Security.

The assessment follows signs that Russian state hacking groups are showing increased willingness to launch destructive cyberattacks against European NATO countries. The agency is coordinating with the Defence Intelligence Service (FE) and the Security and Intelligence Service (PET), as well as other relevant authorities.

The threat from state-backed hackers is described as “markedly” different from that posed by pro-Russian hackers, due to their capacity to execute coordinated and targeted attacks on critical infrastructure.