Europe has moved from being seen as a low-risk area for cyber threats to becoming one of the most frequently attacked regions globally. The change has happened quickly and dramatically.
Initially protected by a sense of security, the continent is now at the center of international cyber warfare. The continuous conflict between Russia and Ukraine has extended well beyond the physical battlefield, altering cyberattack trends and making European infrastructure and organizations vulnerable.
In 2025, Poland is experiencing approximately 300 cyberattacks from Russia each day, representing a tripling from the previous year.
In Norway, intelligence representatives verified that Russian hackers recently took control of a dam located in Bremanger, causing massive water releases before officials stepped in.
NATO has simultaneously cautioned about an increase in cyberattacks linked to states targeting European and Mediterranean port infrastructure, indicating that transportation and energy sectors are under threat.infrastructureare being pulled further into the line of fire.
With regional governments highlighting rising hostility, Europe is encountering a new situation: the continent is no longer just an edge area of interest but a key conflict zone where strength and endurance must be prioritized.
Hacktivists and state-sponsored groups
Hacktivist groups have played a significant role in this transformation. Since 2022, a pro-Russian organization has reported over 6,600 attacks, with 96 percent directed at European entities including government websites, airports, and energy companies.
As recently as May, individuals aligned with Russia focused their efforts on several local councils in the UK, causing interruptions in public service availability.
In addition to these efforts, government-backed organizations have intensified their activities of spying and destruction.SecurityWestern agencies report that Russian and allied intelligence groups have significantly increased their activities targeting NATO countries since the invasion of Ukraine.
The outcome has been an increase in well-known security incidents,ransomwareevents, and attacks driven by ideology that have demonstrated the lack of boundaries. European companies, medical facilities, and government services are being increasingly seen as acceptable targets.
Europe turns into a digital hotspot
The blending of state-sponsored and criminal dangers led to an exceptionally unstable environment in 2024 and 2025. As per the OpenText Cybersecurity 2025 Threat Report, Europe's rate of malware infections has risen to three to four times that of the United States.
Once seen as relatively secure, Europe is now classified in the "higher risk" group along with South America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These areas experience six times the infection rates found in lower risk regions.
The same report also showed that, worldwide, small and medium-sized businesses experienced more ransomware attacks than larger companies.
Europe is not an exception: due to higher infection rates, the region'sSMBsface increased visibility as both more accessible entry points into larger supply chains and as individuals affected in their own right.
Ransomware and extortion tactics
The ransomware assault by the Warlock group on Colt Technology Services highlights the evolving tactics of extortion in Europe.
By compromising cryptographic keys and releasing large amounts of data, the group opted for public disclosure instead of using conventional "lock and encrypt" approaches. This reflects a larger move toward attacks focused on data exfiltration, as threat actors steal confidential information.data to use as leverage.
Our study revealed that almost half of all individuals affected by ransomware opted to pay the demanded amount in the previous year, even though 97 percent of them were able to recover their data.
This inconsistency highlights the evolving character of extortion, and for European companies, this development emphasizes the increasing burden that damage to reputation and legal fines impose on executives.
The regulatory push
The European Union has acknowledged the critical nature of these dangers and is enhancing preparedness via regulatory measures.
The NIS2 Directive, which broadens cybersecurity obligations in 18 key industries, is prompting companies to reconsider their approach to risk management and the disclosure of security incidents.
The implementation is still inconsistent, especially in healthcare and transportation, but the framework is already setting higher standards.
The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), effective since January 2025, marks another important achievement.
It implements rigorous ICT risk management and resilience testing within the financial industry and its third-party partners.
For medical care, the European Commission's latest initiative pledges a unified European approachcybersecuritysupport hub and integrated early alert systems by 2026.
These efforts show that resilience is no longer a choice. It has become a required and strategic element.
Shifting from efforts to prevent to a concentrated approach on resilience
Cyber adversaries keep evolving and adjusting, forcing European organizations to integrate robustness into their security strategies.
Proactive steps are still crucial, but the reality of human mistakes, unknown security flaws, and sophisticated manipulation tactics ensures that no system can stop all dangers.
The focus needs to move towards durability. Companies should get ready for security incidents, rather than solely trying to prevent them.
This demands swift recovery abilities that allow security teams to identify infections quickly, contain them, and bring essential operations back online with minimal disruption.
Conducting tabletop exercises throughout every department is among the most efficient methods to uncover weaknesses and enhance assurance in recovery strategies.
The digital environment in Europe has undergone a significant transformation. It is no longer considered a low-risk area and has evolved into one of the most fiercely contested regions globally.
Cyber activists, government-backed entities, and ransomware organizations are increasingly targeting its infrastructure and institutions with remarkable force. Our research highlights the magnitude of this issue.
The way ahead is not about seeking flawless security, but rather adopting resilience as the fundamental element of protection. By implementing effective strategies, strong leadership, and proper regulatory systems, Europe can transition from being an easy target to a leading example of cyber resilience.
We have highlighted the top encryption software.
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