EU Facing Escalating Cyber Threats, Public Administration Most Targeted
Cyber threats against EU organizations have escalated, with public administration emerging as the most targeted sector. Phishing and DDoS attacks dominated the landscape, driven by state-sponsored groups and hacktivists. AI played a significant role in phishing campaigns, while Russian actor NoName057(16) was responsible for a majority of DDoS claims.
Phishing was the primary intrusion method, accounting for 60% of attacks, with vulnerability exploitation at 21%. AI helped threat actors refine phishing campaigns, with AI-powered phishing representing over 80% of social engineering activity worldwide by early 2025.
DDoS attacks led in terms of volume, making up 77% of reported incidents, yet only 2% resulted in service disruption. Hacktivists were the most common threat actor type, linked to 79% of attacks, followed by financially motivated actors at 13% and cyber-espionage at 7%.
Attacks increasingly targeted critical dependency points in the digital supply chain. Outdated mobile devices and operational technology systems were high-value targets. Between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, ransomware operators and cybercriminals deploying phishing campaigns were the main groups responsible for attacks on EU organizations.
The increasing sophistication of cyber threats, driven by AI and targeted at critical points, underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures. Public administration must prioritize protection, and all organizations should ensure their systems are up-to-date to mitigate risks.
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