European intelligence agencies report that investigations into Russian interference now demand as much time and resources as counterterrorism, reflecting the growing scale and sophistication of cyber and sabotage threats across the continent. French authorities are currently investigating a major cyberattack that disrupted the country’s national postal service during the critical Christmas delivery period.
Postal System Paralyzed by Pro-Russian Hackers
French prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday that the pro-Russian hacking group Noname057(16) claimed responsibility for the attack on La Poste. Following the group’s claim, the domestic intelligence agency DGSI took over the investigation, the Paris prosecutor’s office said. La Poste’s central computer systems went offline on Monday due to a distributed denial-of-service attack that remained unresolved by Wednesday morning. The disruption prevented postal workers from tracking packages and interfered with online payments at La Banque Postale, the company’s banking arm, during the busiest season of the year for a workforce of more than 200,000.
A Persistent Threat Across Europe
Noname057(16) has a history of targeting Ukrainian media websites as well as government and corporate sites in countries including Poland, Sweden and Germany. In July, the group became the focus of Operation Eastwood, a coordinated international police action involving authorities from 12 countries. That operation dismantled more than 100 servers worldwide, resulted in arrests in France and Spain, and produced seven arrest warrants, six for Russian nationals. Despite this crackdown, Noname057(16) resumed operations within days and has remained active, previously attacking French government websites including the Ministry of Justice and multiple prefectures and municipalities.
Escalating Cyber Threats and National Security Concerns
The postal service disruption occurred days after French authorities reported a cyberattack on the Interior Ministry, which oversees national security. In that breach, a suspected hacker extracted several dozen sensitive documents and accessed police records and information on wanted individuals, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told Franceinfo. Last week, prosecutors announced that France’s counterintelligence agency is investigating a suspected plot involving software capable of remotely controlling computer systems on an international passenger ferry. Authorities said a Latvian crew member faces charges for acting on behalf of an unidentified foreign power. Nunez strongly suggested Russian involvement, stating that “foreign interference very often comes from same country,” although no official attribution has yet been made.
Hybrid Warfare and Widespread Sabotage
France and other European allies of Ukraine describe Russia’s actions as part of a broader campaign of “hybrid warfare,” combining sabotage, cyberattacks, assassinations and disinformation to sow division in Western societies and weaken support for Kyiv. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western officials have linked scores of incidents to Moscow, including arson attacks on warehouses, railway sabotage and widespread vandalism. European intelligence agencies now warn that tracking Russian interference has become as demanding and consequential as counterterrorism, highlighting the persistent and multi-faceted nature of the threat.
