UK NCSC warns of Russia-linked hacktivists DDoS attacks

Security Affairs

January 20, 2026 at 8:21 AM

Actively Exploited

Overview

The UK government's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a warning about ongoing Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks carried out by Russia-linked hacktivists. These attacks are targeting critical infrastructure and local government systems across the UK. The NCSC's alert, released on January 19, 2026, emphasizes the potential disruption these attacks can cause, putting essential services at risk. The government urges organizations to bolster their defenses against such incidents, highlighting that the threat remains persistent. This situation is particularly concerning as it could impact public safety and the functionality of vital services during times of crisis.

Key Takeaways

Active Exploitation: This vulnerability is being actively exploited by attackers. Immediate action is recommended.
Affected Systems: Critical infrastructure, local government systems
Action Required: Organizations should enhance their cybersecurity measures and prepare for potential DDoS attacks.
Timeline: Ongoing since January 2026

Original Article Summary

The UK government warns Russia-linked hacktivists are still carrying out DDoS attacks on critical infrastructure and local government systems The UK government warns that Russia-linked hacktivists are continuing DDoS attacks against critical infrastructure and local government systems. “Today, 19th January 2026, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – has issued an […]

Impact

Critical infrastructure, local government systems

Exploitation Status

This vulnerability is confirmed to be actively exploited by attackers in real-world attacks. Organizations should prioritize patching or implementing workarounds immediately.

Timeline

Ongoing since January 2026

Remediation

Organizations should enhance their cybersecurity measures and prepare for potential DDoS attacks.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to DDoS, Critical.

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