• A major international operation has dismantled the NoName057(16) cybercrime group.
• The group was linked to thousands of cyberattacks targeting Ukraine and its allies.
• Law enforcement from 19 countries participated in the operation, including arrests in several nations.
• The operation disrupted over one hundred computer systems and key server infrastructure.
• The group used gamification and cryptocurrency incentives to recruit attackers.

A European Union police agency, Europol, announced a successful international operation that has significantly disrupted a pro-Russian cybercrime network known as NoName057(16), which has been linked to a series of denial-of-service attacks targeting Ukraine and its allies. This operation, codenamed Eastwood, was executed across multiple countries, including members of NATO, aiming to thwart further cyber assaults on European institutions and municipalities associated with recent NATO meetings, according to latimes.

The cybercrime network NoName057(16) was identified as responsible for a multitude of attacks against Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland, among others. The coordinated effort involved law enforcement agencies from 19 countries, including France, Germany, and the United States. The operation led to the dismantling of over one hundred attack infrastructures and the shutdown of a significant portion of the group's central server systems, as reported by aljazeera and scmp.

The scope of the operation saw judicial authorities in Germany issue six arrest warrants for suspects believed to be leaders of NoName057(16), with two identified on Europol’s Most Wanted list. Collaborative actions also resulted in preliminary arrests in France and Spain, while investigations in Switzerland revealed targeted attacks involving over 200 websites, including significant cultural events such as a video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Eurovision Song Contest, as detailed by latimes, aljazeera, and scmp.

Europol highlighted that members of NoName057(16) primarily consist of Russian-speaking individuals who employ automated tools for conducting Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. The terrorist group initially targeted Ukrainian institutions but quickly expanded its focus to nations supporting Ukraine, effectively intervening in the defensive efforts against Russian aggression. Notably, they used cryptocurrency and online-gaming dynamics to recruit a new generation of cyber attackers, portraying their actions as a form of ideological warfare, according to latimes, aljazeera, and scmp.