Denis Postiniuc
As the digital domain becomes a decisive arena for geopolitical competition, Europe finds itself during an escalating cyber conflict largely hidden from public view. The rise of proxy actors, criminal-for-hire groups, and state-sponsored cyber operations poses a significant threat to the continent’s security and sovereignty.
The digital battlefield is now central to European security. The cyber domain, often described as the “fifth domain of warfare,” has become a critical front in Europe’s struggle for strategic autonomy and defence resilience. Unlike traditional conflicts, cyber warfare unfolds in the shadows, with attribution often obscured by layers of deception, making it an ideal space for proxy operations and hybrid threats.
Europe’s cyber vulnerabilities have grown more visible in recent years, especially in light of the Russian war against Ukraine, the increasing assertiveness of China in cyberspace, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence as a tool of attack. While European nations have made significant strides in building cyber capabilities, the race against sophisticated adversaries remains uneven and full of blind spots.
Europe’s Cyber Defence Build-up
Competence and Coordination
Europe has taken steps to develop a coherent cyber defence architecture. The European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), headquartered in Bucharest, was officially launched to coordinate investment in cybersecurity research and to support joint capabilities under the Digital Europe Programme. The adoption of the Cyber Solidarity Act in December 2024 created a legal framework for cross-border incident response and established a European Cyber Emergency Mechanism, enhancing Europe’s ability to address large-scale cyberattacks.
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