According to TV2, three Danish security agencies have warned of the possibility of Danish websites being attacked by pro-Russian hacking groups in conjunction with the municipal and regional elections scheduled for the 18th of this month.
The security report issued on Friday by the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET), the Defence Intelligence Service (FE), and the Community Security Authority (Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed) concluded that the risk exists, but is limited with regard to Russia's attempts to directly influence the elections or carry out acts of sabotage.
The risk of cyberattacks
The three parties explained that pro-Russian hacker groups are likely to launch dDoS attacks targeting Danish websites, especially those related to the election process. These attacks occur by flooding websites with a massive amount of data, which leads to their disruption or makes them temporarily unavailable.
The security services stated in their report that such attacks are used to support Russian interests, as they often target digital infrastructure in European countries during election periods.
Similar previous attacks
The report confirmed that Denmark experienced a similar attack last year on June 9, 2024, when the official page of the Ministry of the Interior and Health regarding the European Parliament elections was targeted.
Security assessments indicated that such attacks could cause temporary technical disruptions to IT systems, but would “not affect the conduct or outcome of the elections,” according to the joint assessment by PET, FE, and the Community Security Agency.
psychological and social impact
The three security agencies also indicated that the attacks may not be limited to the technical aspect, but could lead to a loss of public confidence, as they may raise doubts and lead to a lack of confidence in the authorities’ ability to deal with the situation, according to the report.
The assessments added that the risk of sabotage or physical damage remains low, attributing this to the fact that Russia has not yet resorted to carrying out such operations against political events or polling stations in European countries.
The possibility of inciting sectarianism and dragging Gaza into the public debate
In its report, the security services did not rule out the possibility that Russia might try to influence Danish public opinion during the elections, and estimates indicated that this could be done by stirring up divisive and polarizing debates, such as issues related to the conflict in Gaza, which could lead to smear campaigns or harassment targeting candidates or election meetings.
Despite these concerns, the authorities stressed that their overall assessment indicates no signs of increased Russian or Chinese interference in the upcoming elections compared to previous years.
Confidence in the electoral process
The security report issued by PET, FE, and the Community Security Authority concluded that the Danish electoral system enjoys a high degree of security, and that there is no significant risk of the election results being affected by any potential hacking operations, noting that the threats are mainly focused on media and moral aspects rather than technical ones, according to TV2.
