In April 2025, Norway experienced a chilling reminder of the risks facing its critical infrastructure when pro-Russian hackers took control of the Lake Risevatnet dam near Svelgen. For four hours, the attackers manipulated the dam’s outflow valves, releasing 500 liters of water per second into the surrounding river. While the incident caused no physical damage—the riverbed could handle far greater flow—it was not intended to destroy. Instead, according to Norway’s Police Security Service (PST), this was a calculated act designed to demonstrate capability, unsettle the public, and send a message about the hackers’ reach.
Norwegian intelligence officials link the attack to the broader rise in pro-Russian cyber activity across Europe since the invasion of Ukraine, describing Russia as their most unpredictable threat. The operation bears the hallmarks of Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy—combining technical sabotage with psychological impact. Authorities suspect the attackers exploited a weak password on the dam’s internet-facing control panel, a simple entry point with potentially devastating implications.
The dam takeover was accompanied by a Telegram video showing the control panel interface branded with the watermark of a known pro-Russian hacking group. While the Russian embassy in Oslo dismissed the allegations as politically motivated fabrications, this incident joins over 70 disruptive acts across Europe attributed to pro-Russian actors since 2022. Many of these groups, such as the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn, have been linked to state agencies like the GRU’s Sandworm unit, blurring the lines between independent hacktivism and state-directed cyberwarfare.
Norway’s heavy reliance on hydropower makes incidents like this a national security concern. Intelligence chiefs warn that cyberattacks on dams, power grids, and other critical infrastructure are not just technical intrusions—they are geopolitical tools meant to erode public confidence, test defenses, and map vulnerabilities for future operations. The April 2025 breach may not have caused floods or blackouts, but it served as a visible reminder: in the age of hybrid warfare, even infrastructure far from the frontlines can be drawn into the digital battlefield.
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