An operation coordinated by Europol has disrupted a major portion of the hacktivist group NoName057(16)’s global infrastructure, according to Europol’s website.
The operation, code named Operation Eastwood, led to two arrests, seven arrest warrants issued, and over a hundred malicious servers around the world taken down, according to Europol. The operation included several European countries such as France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and others, as well as the United States and Canada.
NoName057(16) is a pro-Russian hacktivist group that was first seen in March 2022, just after Russia invaded Ukraine, according to SOCRadar. NoName057(16) was known for using its global infrastructure to launch DDoS attacks against Ukraine, as well as nations that opposed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They even developed their own DDoS attack software, DDoSia, according to SOCRadar.
NoName057(16) used online chat rooms and forums to recruit volunteers, promising to pay them in cryptocurrency for their participation, according to Europol. The group even used gamification, such as awarding badges to volunteers, to lure younger participants.
As recently as June 2025, NoName057(16) claimed responsibility for DDoS attacks on Dutch municipalities and organizations related to a NATO summit, AP News reported.
In a previous post, I mentioned NoName057(16) as one of the top hacktivist groups of 2025. Europol states that arrest warrants were issued, meaning that members of the crime network are still on the loose. There is a chance that we will see NoName057(16) continue to operate. However, a take down of this magnitude is likely to disrupt the group’s operations for some time.
