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, marking a tripling from the previous year.
In Norway, intelligence representatives verified that Russian hackers recently took control of a dam located in Bremanger, causing large amounts of water to be released 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 sounding alarms about rising hostility, Europe is encountering a new situation: the continent is no longer a secondary target but a key area of conflict 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 asserted over 6,600 cyberattacks, with 96 percent directed at European entities including government websites, airports, and energy companies.
Even as recently as May, pro-Russian entities attacked several local councils in the United Kingdom, hindering access to public services.
In addition to these efforts, government-backed organizations have increased their activities involving espionage 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 politically driven assaults that have demonstrated the lack of boundaries. European businesses, medical facilities, and government services are becoming seen as acceptable targets.
Europe turns into a cyber hotspot
The blending of state-sponsored and criminal dangers resulted in a particularly unstable environment during 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 part of 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 victims in their own right.
Ransomware and extortion tactics
The ransomware attack 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 moved away from conventional "lock and encrypt" approaches in favor of making information publicly visible. This reflects a larger trend toward attacks focused on data extraction, where malicious 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 those in charge.
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 compelling companies to reassess their approach to risk management and the disclosure of security incidents.
The implementation is still inconsistent, especially in the areas of 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 external service providers.
For healthcare, the European Commission's latest initiative pledges a unified European approachcybersecuritysupport desk and integrated early alert systems by 2026.
These efforts show that resilience is no longer a choice. It has become a requirement by law and a key part of strategy.
Shifting from efforts to prevent to a concentrated approach on resilience
Cyber threats keep evolving and adjusting, forcing European organizations to incorporate robustness into their security strategies.
Proactive steps are still crucial, but the certainty of human mistakes, unknown security flaws, and sophisticated social manipulation ensures that no system can stop all dangers.
The focus needs to move towards durability. Companies ought to 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 successful methods to uncover weaknesses and strengthen 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 appropriate 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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