DDoS cyberattacks on the Government of Spain: what has happened and what does it entail

In the last few days they have registered DDoS cyberattacks on the Government of Spain attributed to the pro-Russian group NoName057, according to information published by various specialized media. Although this type of computer attack does not necessarily involve a security breach or data theft, it does highlight the exposure of public bodies and the need to strengthen corporate and state IT security.

In this article, we analyze what is known so far, why these types of incidents particularly affect critical infrastructures, and what strategic lessons organizations can learn.

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What is known about DDoS cyberattacks on the Government of Spain?

According to recently published information, the NoName057 group has claimed responsibility for a series of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against Spanish institutional portals.

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack consists of:

1. Sending a massive volume of malicious traffic.
2. Saturate the target's servers.
3. Cause the service to fall or temporarily inaccessible.

In this case, the attacks would have affected institutional websites, generating occasional interruptions, although without public evidence of information exfiltration or internal systems compromise.

This nuance is key:
A DDoS doesn't always involve a security breach, but it does involve a reputational and operational impact.

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Why the public sector is a priority objective

Government bodies are part of so-called critical infrastructures. Their strategic value makes them a common objective for:

• Ideological hacktivism.
• Disinformation campaigns.
• Geopolitical pressure actions.
• Coordinated attacks in contexts of international tension.

In the case of NoName057, it is a group that has focused its actions on countries that hold certain political positions in the international arena.

From a technical point of view, public portals present specific challenges:

• High exposure on the Internet.
• High legitimate traffic peaks.
• Heterogeneous infrastructures.
• Dependency on multiple vendors.

This last point is especially relevant: many computer attacks do not directly affect the core of the organization, but rather third parties or technology providers.

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How do these types of DDoS attacks occur

These types of cyberattacks usually occur for five main causes:

1. Use of internationally distributed botnets.
2. Exploitation of misconfigured services.
3. Amplification using vulnerable protocols (DNS, NTP, etc.).
4. Automated coordination from closed forums or channels.
5. Lack of advanced real-time mitigation systems

Unlike other incidents such as ransomware, the main objective here is not to encrypt systems, but to interrupt availability.

However, the risk should not be underestimated. A DDoS can be used as a distraction while trying to execute another, more sophisticated computer attack in parallel.

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Key lessons for companies and organizations

Although the incident affects public bodies, the lessons apply directly to the private sector.

1. Availability is an essential part of cybersecurity.
2. It's not enough to protect data; we need to ensure business continuity.
3. 24/7 monitoring reduces detection and reaction times.
4. Supplier management is a critical risk vector.
5. Continuity and recovery plans should be tested regularly.

Many companies only react after suffering a security breach. However, incidents like this demonstrate that prevention must be part of corporate strategy.

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Cybersecurity as a strategic priority

The recent DDoS cyberattacks on the Government of Spain evidence that digital risk does not distinguish between public and private sectors. The difference lies in the level of preparation.

Enterprise IT security is no longer just a technical issue. It is a strategic decision that impacts on:

• Reputation.
• Customer trust.
• Regulatory compliance.
• Business Continuity.

At Apolo Cybersecurity, we help organizations to anticipate these types of threats by:

• 24/7 SOC services.
• External exposure evaluations.
• Simulations of attacks.
• Design of continuity and incident response plans.

If you want to know if your organization is prepared to withstand a DDoS attack or any other type of cyberattack, our team can carry out a technical and strategic evaluation adapted to your environment.

The question isn't whether an incident will happen, but whether your company is prepared to handle it.