FILE PHOTO: A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss authorities said on Tuesday that a pro-Russian hacking group had intensified its cyberattacks against the country, with the hackers claiming to have taken down several key websites including that of Geneva Airport.
Switzerland's main government websites, including that of parliament and the federal administration, have been hit in recent days by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack claimed by the NoName group.
In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, Switzerland's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) described the intensity of the DDoS attack as "exceptionally high" and warned some government websites could remain inaccessible.
The attack comes as the Swiss parliament prepares for a video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy scheduled for Thursday.
"The parliamentary services are doing everything in their power to ensure that the live broadcast on Thursday can go smoothly," NCSC said.
The NoName group said it had carried out an attack against the parliament's website last week in response to Switzerland's adoption of another EU sanctions package against Moscow.
On Tuesday it attacked other websites including that of Geneva Airport, a hub for diplomats and officials travelling to the United Nations.
"The website of the Geneva International Airport did not resist our attack," the group wrote on the Telegram messenger service, posting an image of a bear flaunting its claws.
The airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
