Published on
27 October 2026 – 18:41 GMT+1
Norway’s National Security Authority (NSM) reported on Tuesday that the number of “successful” cyberattacks targeting Norwegian organizations has tripled over the past six months, heightening concerns over ongoing threats to national security.
In a recent assessment, the NSM—responsible for addressing espionage and hybrid threats—highlighted that Norway’s defense industry and space sector face heightened exposure to cyber risks. The agency cautioned that critical infrastructure and service providers essential to national security are also vulnerable.
“This also applies to critical infrastructure and service providers to organisations that are important to national security,” the NSM stated.
Director Arne Christian Haugstøyl emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that such a public assessment had not been shared previously. “We are making this information public now because it is absolutely necessary to strengthen both the resilience and the ability to handle cyber operations in Norwegian organisations,” he said.
The warning comes amid growing concerns across Europe regarding suspected Russian-linked hybrid attacks, including cyber operations. In August, Norwegian media reported that a Russian hacker group had declared war on Norway and claimed responsibility for a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack affecting multiple government digital services.
While the NSM did not attribute the attacks to any specific actor in its latest report, it noted a surge in reconnaissance activities, ransomware, and DDoS attacks targeting certain businesses and organizations.
The agency also issued a stark warning about the risks posed by artificial intelligence, describing it as a “serious risk” to Norwegian businesses and institutions. Haugstøyl explained, “AI analyzes large amounts of data and identifies vulnerabilities faster than humans have been able to. These vulnerabilities open up new opportunities for cyberattacks at a faster pace and on a larger scale.”
“This means that the risk is increasing, and the pace at which security measures are implemented must be accelerated.”
