Latvian cybersecurity officials warn of cyberattacks linked to Russia and Belarus

Latvian cybersecurity officials report that politically motivated hackers linked to Russia and Belarus are launching a new wave of cyberattacks against the Latvian government and critical infrastructure websites. The attacks aim to disrupt access rather than steal sensitive data, according to Baiba Kaskina, head of the Latvian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT). Varis Teivans, deputy manager of Latvian CERT, highlighted this trend two years ago in an interview with Recorded Future News.

In August, the frequency of attacks surged again, likely in response to Latvia’s new aid package to Ukraine, which includes drones and air defense systems. Vineta Sprugaine, a representative of the Latvian State Radio and Television Center, noted that such attacks often coincide with political decisions or holidays.

Most of these incidents involve distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which temporarily slow down targeted websites. Kaskina described the attacks as “very large” in volume and “well customized” to their targets.

Russia-linked hacktivist groups, including NoName057(16) and Anonymous Guys, have claimed responsibility for the recent cyberattacks on Latvian websites, asserting they are retaliating against Latvia for supporting Ukraine. NoName057(16) declared on Telegram, “We continue to punish Russophobic Latvia for aiding the criminal Kyiv regime.”

Baiba Kaskina acknowledged that while Latvia is ‘well prepared’ for these attacks, the constantly evolving tactics of the hackers make them challenging to combat. She described the attacks on Latvia and other Baltic states as part of a ‘hybrid war’ aimed at creating societal panic and eroding trust in government institutions.