This post is also available in:
עברית (Hebrew)
Liverpool City Council has disclosed that it has been the target of sustained cyberattacks over the past two years, primarily from a pro-Russian group known as Noname057(16). The announcement was included in a recent report submitted ahead of the city’s audit committee meeting, detailing efforts to manage and mitigate the threat.
Noname057(16), a hacktivist group believed to be aligned with Russian state interests, is known for carrying out politically motivated cyber operations. The group has previously targeted public institutions and infrastructure across Europe, including government agencies, military organizations, and healthcare providers, according to Liverpool Echp.
The attacks on Liverpool are largely distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) operations, where systems are flooded with traffic, disrupting services and attempting to create outages. According to the report, the group and its affiliates have launched many attacks against Liverpool’s digital infrastructure since 2023.
In response, the council has implemented several technical measures to protect its systems. These include internet service provider-level DDoS mitigation, advanced firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and tools for managing and filtering network traffic. The aim is to maintain service continuity and reduce the risk of broader system compromise.
Liverpool is not alone in this situation. Other local authorities across the UK have reported similar activity, suggesting a broader campaign targeting cities in countries perceived to support Ukraine. Noname057(16) initially focused its operations on Ukrainian targets but has since expanded its scope to include NATO members and Western allies.
This pattern aligns with earlier warnings issued by officials in other countries, where critical services have been impacted by similar cyber operations.
While there has been no public indication that sensitive data has been breached in Liverpool, the report highlights the evolving nature of state-affiliated cyber threats and the growing need for local governments to adopt robust cyber defense strategies.
