Norway Accuses Russia of Cyber Attack on Parliament

Norway this week said it has reason to believe Russia was behind an August cyber attack targeting the email system of the country’s parliament, according to an AFP report.

In August, Norway announced hackers had gained access to some lawmakers’ emails. Today, the country believes Russian actors were behind the hack. Despite not specifying what information prompted its conclusions, the country”s foreign ministry is convinced of its findings. So much so that it encouraged businesses to follow guidelines on cyber security, the AFP reports.

“Based on the information the government has, it is our view that Russia is responsible for these activities,” foreign minister Ine Eriksen Søreide said in a statement.

“This is a very serious incident, affecting our most important democratic institution,” she added.

Norway”s government made similar accusations in 2017 when the country”s Labour Party claimed Russian actors conducted covert intelligence activities on its parliament. The attack was believed to be in line with the hacking of the Democratic National Committee the year prior, which US intelligence agencies pinned on the Kremlin.