Russia

Who is NoName057(16)?

NoName057(16) is the premier example of this new breed of "state-aligned" hacktivism. Formed in March 2022 (immediately following Russia's invasion of Ukraine), they are a pro-Russian group dedicated to punishing nations that support Ukraine.

They are distinct from groups like Killnet (who focus on hype and noise) because NoName057(16) focuses on volume and persistence. They rarely deface websites; instead, they use their custom "DDoSia" toolkit to pummel critical infrastructure (banks, logistics, government portals) until it goes offline.

The Naming Convention Decoded

The name is a direct nationalist signal that reveals their allegiance to specific regions within the Russian Federation. It is derived from Russian vehicle license plate codes, which act as identifiers for where a person (or car) is registered.

NoName: A nod to anonymity, implying they could be anyone or everyone—a "nameless" legion.

057: The Russian administrative code for the Oryol Oblast (a region southwest of Moscow).

16: The Russian administrative code for the Republic of Tatarstan (a federal subject of Russia).

Why this matters:

By using these codes, the group is not just claiming to be "pro-Russian" in an abstract sense; they are grounding their identity in the physical geography of the Russian homeland. It is the digital equivalent of flying a specific regimental flag.

The naming convention of NoName057(16) is unique to this specific group. There are no other distinct "NoName" groups operating under this specific brand with different region codes (e.g., there is no "NoName077" or "NoName099").

While the group's name references two specific Russian regions—Oryol Oblast (57) and Tatarstan (16)—they operate as a single, unified entity.

Why the confusion?

You might see references to "NoName" followed by other numbers in threat intelligence reports, but these are almost always:

Sub-Units or "Squads": Within their Discord/Telegram servers, they sometimes organize volunteers into smaller squads for specific targets (e.g., "Squad 57" hitting Poland, "Squad 16" hitting Lithuania), but they all report to the main channel.

Imitators: Occasionally, copycat actors will pop up claiming to be a "NoName" splinter cell to gain street cred, but the main group (via their official Telegram) consistently disavows them.

The " Franchise" Model

Instead of spinning off new "NoName" groups, they created the DDoSia Project. This is their "franchise" model.

DDoSia allows anyone (even you) to download their attack tool and join the fight.

So, while there is only one NoName057(16) leadership core, there are thousands of anonymous volunteers executing their orders. They don't need new names; they just need new recruits.