European intelligence agencies now dedicate as much attention to investigating Russian interference as they do to counterterrorism, highlighting the growing impact of cyber and sabotage operations on the continent’s security landscape. The warning comes amid a high-profile cyberattack that disrupted France’s national postal service during the critical Christmas delivery period.
Postal Service Paralyzed by Claimed Pro-Russian Attack
French prosecutors said on Wednesday that the pro-Russian hacking group Noname057(16) claimed responsibility for the attack on La Poste. Following the claim, domestic intelligence agency DGSI assumed control of the investigation, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. La Poste’s central computer systems went offline on Monday in a distributed denial-of-service attack that remained unresolved by Wednesday morning, leaving postal workers unable to track packages and disrupting online payments at La Banque Postale, the company’s banking arm. The attack struck during La Poste’s busiest season, affecting an organisation that employs over 200,000 people.
A Persistent Cyber Actor Across Europe
Noname057(16) has previously targeted Ukrainian media sites and government and corporate platforms in countries including Poland, Sweden and Germany, and it has also struck French government websites, including the Ministry of Justice and multiple prefectures. The group became the target of Operation Eastwood in July, a coordinated international police effort involving 12 countries. Authorities dismantled over 100 servers worldwide, made arrests in France and Spain, and issued seven arrest warrants, six for Russian nationals. Despite this, Noname057(16) resumed operations within days and has remained active, continuing to pose a cross-border threat.
Escalating Cyber Incidents in France
The postal service attack followed reports of a cyber breach at France’s Interior Ministry, which oversees national security. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told Franceinfo that a suspected hacker extracted several dozen sensitive documents and accessed police records and information on wanted individuals. Prosecutors also revealed last week that France’s counterintelligence agency is investigating a cyberattack plot involving software capable of remotely controlling computer systems on an international passenger ferry. Authorities are holding a Latvian crew member on charges of acting on behalf of an unidentified foreign power.
Russia Implicated in Hybrid Warfare Campaign
Although no official attribution has been confirmed, Nunez strongly suggested Russian involvement, saying that “foreign interference very often comes from same country.” France and other European allies of Ukraine accuse Russia of conducting a campaign of “hybrid warfare,” using sabotage, cyberattacks, assassinations and disinformation to sow division in Western societies and undermine support for Ukraine. Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Western officials have linked dozens of sabotage incidents across Europe to Russia, including arson attacks on warehouses, railway disruptions and widespread vandalism. European intelligence agencies now acknowledge that tracking these operations demands as much attention and resources as responding to terrorist threats.
