Norway targeted by hackers as public services face three days of disruption and information leak

Norway endured three days of disruption across dozens of government services after a large-scale cyberattack that also led to the leak of information related to the state budget. The attack targeted the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency, Digdir, which manages critical public-sector digital services.

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Digdir spokesman Are Kvistad described the incident as the agency’s "largest attack" ever. The pro-Russian hacker group Server Killers claimed responsibility in a Telegram post, declaring a "cyberwar" against Norway. The group cited Oslo’s continuing political and financial support for Ukraine, following the renewal of the strategic partnership between Norway and Ukraine on August 23.

Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation said the attack formed part of Russia’s broader "hybrid war" against European countries that support Kyiv. It said using cyberattacks in direct response to European diplomatic and economic decisions was a typical feature of Russia’s hybrid strategy, whose main aim was to pressure Ukraine’s allies. The centre said Server Killers has operated since 2023 and previously targeted digital infrastructure in Romania and Canada.

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Norwegian officials have stopped short of confirming either the group’s claim or a Russian connection. Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik said Norway faced challenges from cyber actors, without directly blaming Russia or Server Killers. "There is a continuous testing of the vulnerabilities in the highly advanced and modern societies in which we live," he said. "The question is how well we can withstand it."

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There is a continuous testing of the vulnerabilities in the highly advanced and modern societies in which we live. The question is how well we can withstand it.

Kripos is investigating the incident, while police are monitoring the situation closely. The attack comes as European governments report growing concern about suspected sabotage and hybrid operations linked to Russia. In 2025, Norway faced another suspected cyber-sabotage incident in which hackers accessed digital systems controlling a dam and opened a valve.

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The use of cyberattacks as a direct response to diplomatic and economic steps by European states is a classic manifestation of the hybrid war of the Russian Federation.