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On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry stated that they believe Russia was behind the data breach against the Storting on August 24.
– This is a very serious incident that has affected our most important democratic institution, says Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reacts to the attack.
– The hacker attack on the Storting is serious, and we trust the Norwegian authorities’ assessment that it is Russia that is behind the attack, Stoltenberg told TV 2 on Tuesday night.
– NATO is concerned because it fits into a pattern that we have seen in other countries. Such attacks are unacceptable and undermine trust, says Stoltenberg.
He believes the attack weakens NATO’s ability to achieve a more constructive relationship with Russia.
– It also highlights the cyber threat that we all face. That is why cyber defense is an important part of NATO defense, and why NATO and our allies have strengthened our cyber defense, says the Secretary General.
Russia: – Unfounded accusations
Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the international committee in the Russian Duma, tells the TASS news agency that Norway’s accusations are unfounded.
“As usual, the allegations come regardless of the evidence or any discussion with Russia at the expert level,” Kosachev told TASS.
Konstantin Kosachev, head of the International Committee of the Russian Duma Photo: Pavel Golovkin / AP
It points out that an employee of the Federation Council was arrested and detained for a month, before the espionage accusations proved unfounded. The man was charged with illegal intelligence activity after a seminar at the Storting.
– So the Storting or the Norwegian government did not even apologize, Kosachev tells the news agency.
– Based on analysis
The investigation of the data attack has been carried out since August in close cooperation between the Police Security Service (PST), the National Security Authority (NSM) and the Intelligence Service.
– These are the analyzes on which we base our decision, and the analyzes are clear, says Søreide.
– Then it is important that we hold Russia accountable. It is because this type of incident is very serious, and it is important and an unequivocal reaction from the Norwegian side that we publish this attribution, continues the Foreign Minister.
Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide met with the press on Tuesday evening Photo: Ørn E. Borgen / NTB
Søreide has called the Russian embassy on the carpet after accusations of hacking.
– We do this as a strong and unequivocal reaction to what we have seen happen, says Søreide.
Private information
The hackers behind the attack may have gained access to private information about various parliamentary representatives. Analysis has not revealed that classified information is lost, Storting director Marianne Andreassen said last week.
According to the Storting’s Damage Assessment of the Data Attack, private information such as account numbers, social security numbers, banking information and other personal information may be lost.
From information related to the Storting, information on itineraries, contact details, preparatory work in connection with the processing of political affairs and certain personal information may have been lost.
The Labor Party, the Center Party and the Conservative Party have previously confirmed that representatives of their parliamentary group were exposed to data breaches. An employee of the Liberal Party was also affected.
