Europol and Eurojust coordinated an international operation called Operation Eastwood between July 14-17, 2025. This operation targeted the pro-Russian cybercrime network NoName057(16), disrupting their global infrastructure that consisted of over a hundred computer systems worldwide.
The operation saw law enforcement agencies from countries including Germany, France, Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, the Czech Republic and the United States acting simultaneously against perpetrators and infrastructure. They secured arrests, issued arrest warrants in multiple countries, carried out search operations, and interrogated suspects.
The result of Operation Eastwood was a significant disruption to the cybercrime network’s activities with key servers being taken offline. The operation involved not only national law enforcement but also support from ENISA and agencies from Canada, Estonia, Denmark, Latvia, Romania, and Ukraine. Private companies like ShadowServer and abuse.ch also contributed by providing technical assistance.
The NoName057(16) group primarily consists of Russian-speaking sympathizers who use automated tools to carry out DDoS attacks without formal leadership or advanced technical skills. Their primary targets were initially the Ukraine but later shifted towards NATO member countries supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s aggressive military actions. They coordinated their efforts through pro-Russian channels, forums and social media platforms.
Cyber Threat Landscape: An Evolving Challenge
The cyber threat landscape is continuously evolving with new actors such as NoName057(16) emerging to support various geopolitical agendas. These groups often leverage automated tools like DDoS bots, making them challenging for law enforcement agencies to counteract effectively. In addition to the direct damage caused by these attacks, they also strain resources and create fear among citizens in targeted countries.
The rise of pro-Russian cybercrime networks highlights the increasing use of technology as a tool in modern warfare, where state-sponsored actors collaborate with non-state groups to achieve strategic objectives. This blurring of lines between traditional espionage, terrorism, and crime has significant implications for national security policies and international cooperation on cybersecurity matters.
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