![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Over half of business and consumer personal computers that have been infected with malware once are re-infected within the same year 12. One in eight businesses have been affected by cyberattacks 11. One-third have received fraudulent e-mails or phone calls asking for personal details in the past three years, but 83% have never reported a cybercrime. Around two-fifths of EU users have experienced security-related problems and three-fifths feel unable to protect themselves against cybercrime 10. The increased internet usage and changing patterns due to the pandemic have further expo sed the fragility of supply chains that depend on this digital infrastructure.Ĭoncerns about security are a major disincentive to using online services 9. This lea ves the European economy and society vulnerable to disruptive geopolitical or technical events which affect the core of the Internet or one or more of these companies. These services are more and more concentrated in the hands of a few private companies 8. At the same time, there is increased reliance on the core function s of the global and open Internet, such as the Domain Name System (DNS), and essential Internet services for communications and hosting, applications and data. It has managed to sustain exponential increases in traffic volumes while being a constant target for malicious attempts at disruption 7. The Internet has a decentralised architecture with no central structure and a multi-stakeholder governance. ![]() The malicious targeting of critical infrastructure is a major global risk 6. These activities undermine international security and stability and the benefits that cyberspace brings for economic, social and political development. Hybrid threats combine disinformation campaigns with cyberattacks on infrastruct ure, economic processes and democratic institutions, with the potential for causing physical damage, obtaining unlawful access to personal data, stealing industrial or state secrets, sowing mistrust and weakening social cohesion. Cyberspace is increasingly exploited for political and ideological purposes, and increased polarisation at international level is hindering effective multilateralism. Restrictions of and on the Internet threaten global and open cyberspace, as well as the rule of law, fundamental rights, freedom and democracy – the core values of the EU. Thes e tensions are reflected in the increasing number of nation states erecting digital borders. The threat landscape is compounded by geopolitical tensions over the global and open Internet and over control of technologies across the whole supply chain 5. The industrial landscape in the EU is increasingly digitised and connected this also means that cyberattacks can have far greater impact on industries and ecosystems than ever before. Connected objects are often shipped to the consumer with known vulnerabilities, which further increases the attack surface for malicious cyber activities 4. This increases vulnerabilities to cyberat tacks 3. Digitisation of working patterns has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which 40% of EU workers switched to telework, with likely permanent effects on everyday life 2. Connected devices already outnumber people on the planet, and their number is forecast to rise to 25 billion by 2025 1 : a qua rter of these will be in Europe. Cross-sector interdepende nces are very strong because networks and information systems, in their turn, depend on a steady supply of electricity to function. Transport, energy and health, telecommunications, finance, security, democratic processes, space and defence are heavily reliant on network and information systems that are increasingly interconnected. Cybersecurity is therefore essential for building a resilient, green and digital Europe. The EU’s economy, democracy and society depend more than ever on secure and reliable digital tools and connectivity. Whether it is connected devices, electricity grids, or banks, aircraft, public administrations or hospitals they use or frequent, people deserve to do so within the assurance that they will be shielded from cyber threats. INTRODUCTION: A CYBERSECURE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN A COMPLEX THREAT ENVIRONMENTĬybersecurity is an integral part of Europeans’ security. The EU's Cybersecurity Strategy for the Digital Decade JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL ![]()
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