NoName057's DDoS Blitz on Romania's Elections
Hackers supportive of Russia responsible for intrusions on Romanian government sites during voting period
In the heat of Romania's presidential elections on May 4, 2025, pro-Russian hacktivists, NoName057, unleashed a barrage of DDoS attacks on various official websites. These cyber assaults targeted key institutions like the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and even campaign sites for presidential candidates.
NoName057, a notorious group known for its pro-Russian leanings, boasted about their attacks on their official Telegram channel. Their post revealed a political motive as they favored a candidate perceived as an ally of Vladimir Putin. This suggests an attempt to influence or disrupt the electoral process.
As the clock struck 14:00, normalservice was restored, according to Digi24. However, the hacker group's actions left a significant impact on the morning of May 4, affecting the accessibility of critical government and candidate websites during the election. This disruption potentially hindered the dissemination of crucial information and could have impacted the overall electoral process, although the precise impact on the election results remains unspecified.
Independent journalist, Victor Ilie, was the first to warn about such an impending attack. Having previously observed the group's activities, he noted that NoName057, although not directly linked to the Kremlin, carries out DDoS-type attacks, often against targets aligned with Kyiv. In the past, they have targeted Romanian websites on significant days such as when Zelensky visited or on the eve of a NATO exercise at Capu Midia.
A DDoS attack involves an excess of traffic, which leads to poor website functionality or total shutdown. It is among the most common forms of cyberattacks. Reports suggest that Romania's election systems endured over 85,000 cyberattacks leading up to the election, with login credentials leaked on Russian hacker forums. Despite Moscow's denial of involvement, these attacks hint at a state-sponsored effort, underscoring ongoing challenges in cybersecurity and Russian influence in East European elections.
(Photo source: Piotr Zajda | Dreamstime.com)
- In the aftermath of the attacks, cybersecurity experts confirmed the involvement of the pro-Russian hacktivist group, NoName057, in the DDoS assaults during Romania's 2025 presidential elections.
- The cyberattacks, orchestrated by NoName057, targeted keyEntities such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and various presidential candidate campaign sites.
- The hacktivist group, known for its political affiliations, announced their attacks on their official Telegram channel, hinting at a possible attempt to influence or disrupt the electoral process.
- The general-news media, particularly the independent journalist Victor Ilie, had warned about an impending DDoS attack originating from NoName057, a group previously observed to target websites aligned with Kyiv, on significant days related to Ukraine or NATO.
