A significant uptick in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks has plagued Sweden as the nation navigates its path towards joining NATO, reports network performance management provider Netscout.
The onslaught commenced notably in May 2023, following a colossal 500 Gbps attack targeting Swedish government infrastructure. Subsequent to this initial strike, the frequency and intensity of DDoS assaults against Swedish entities have steadily escalated, reaching a peak in late 2023 with attacks soaring to 730 Gbps.
However, the year 2024 witnessed a further exacerbation of the situation, particularly intensifying from February onwards. On February 14, Sweden’s Foreign Minister hinted at Hungary's support for their NATO bid, serving as a catalyst for a significant event.
Netscout documented an astounding 1524 simultaneous DDoS attacks targeting Swedish organizations the subsequent day. This surge indicated a marked escalation in tensions and retaliatory actions from various politically motivated hacker groups, as underscored in Netscout's public statement.
The climax of the attacks occurred on March 4, 2024, when Netscout observed an unprecedented 2275 attacks in a single day, marking a staggering 183% increase compared to the same date in the previous year. Remarkably, this surge transpired merely three days before Sweden's formal admission into NATO.
Netscout's analysis has identified several hacker groups involved in these assaults, including NoName057, Anonymous Sudan, Russian Cyber Army Team, and Killnet, all of which are aligned with Russian interests.
