Over forty percent of all cyber assaults are directed toward the financial industry
In the first half of 2025, Europe faced a significant surge in cyber-attacks, with the longest repelled attack lasting nearly two days. Interestingly, the majority of malicious requests, approximately 42 percent, originated from the USA. However, the actors behind these attacks used various techniques, such as IP spoofing, reflection attacks, and globally distributed botnets, to conceal their true origin [1][4][5].
In response to this growing threat, Europe is taking decisive action to strengthen its cybersecurity framework. One of the key initiatives is the implementation of the EU NIS2 Directive, which imposes stricter cybersecurity rules, expands coverage to more sectors, increases governance requirements, and enforces tighter incident reporting deadlines and penalties. This directive aims to boost digital resilience across Member States and reduce dependence on foreign digital infrastructure by fostering stronger internal cybersecurity capabilities [1][4][5].
Germany, a leading European nation, is actively participating in this effort. To promote European technologies and reduce reliance on US digital infrastructure, German companies and European institutions are taking several measures.
Firstly, Germany is transposing the EU-wide NIS2 Directive into national regulations, mandating companies in critical sectors such as energy, manufacturing, healthcare, and digital infrastructure to significantly upgrade their cybersecurity standards and governance [1][4][5].
Secondly, German enterprises are rapidly adopting advanced technologies like AI and Zero Trust Frameworks to defend against sophisticated cyber threats. These technologies are expected to play a crucial role in defending against emerging quantum-computing-based attacks [2][3].
Thirdly, the expansion of local cybersecurity ecosystems is being fostered due to a shortage of cybersecurity professionals. By relying on European service providers, firms are contributing to the growth of the local cybersecurity industry and reducing their dependence on foreign technology vendors [2][3].
Fourthly, regulatory pressure from EU-wide laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is compelling companies to bolster their cybersecurity measures, further pushing for European technological autonomy in digital infrastructure [2][3].
Lastly, critical infrastructure sectors such as German energy suppliers are being mandated to enhance their cyber defenses under NIS2 to protect against espionage, sabotage, and ransomware—a key step toward securing European control over vital digital resources [5].
In summary, Europe’s strategy to combat cyber-attacks and reduce dependence on US digital infrastructure involves strengthening regulatory frameworks across member countries, promoting advanced cybersecurity technologies developed within Europe, and supporting local cybersecurity service ecosystems. This comprehensive approach aims to build a more autonomous, resilient, and secure European digital infrastructure [1][2][4][5].
It's worth noting that the report does not discuss specific measures that Europe can take to promote its own technologies, nor does it provide details on the consequences of not promoting European technologies. However, it does suggest that Europe must urgently promote its own technologies to reduce its dependence on foreign providers, with less than 25 percent of companies using European cloud services [1][2][4][5].
The financial sector experienced a high number of cyber-attacks in the first half of 2025, making it a key target. The technology industry was the second most frequently targeted sector in the same time period, with Myra Security reporting the strongest cyber-attacks [1][2][4][5].
The analysis of countries of origin serves primarily to categorize and analyze traffic flows for pattern recognition. Germany accounted for 19 percent of malicious requests, China accounted for 12 percent, and Russia accounted for 3 percent [1][2][4][5].
The report does not specify the countries from which the foreign providers are coming, nor does it provide updates on the intensity or frequency of DDoS attacks since the first half of 2025. It also does not mention any other sectors apart from the financial and technology sectors in terms of cyber-attacks [1][2][4][5].
Despite these challenges, there is a significant demand for European software solutions, with 84 percent of IT decision-makers demanding exclusive or preferential use of European software solutions for critical infrastructures in the future. This highlights a significant gap between the demand for European software solutions and their current usage [1][2][4][5]. Protective measures can be optimized based on the analysis of traffic flows and patterns to better defend against cyber-attacks [1][2][4][5].
References: [1] Cybersecurity Report, 2025. [2] European Commission, 2025. [3] Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI), 2025. [4] Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), 2025. [5] European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), 2025.
In an effort to bolster security and reduce dependence on foreign digital infrastructure, the financial sector in Europe is fortifying its cybersecurity measures, given the high number of attacks it experienced in the first half of 2025. Simultaneously, there's a growing demand for European software solutions in critical infrastructures, with 84% of IT decision-makers preferring exclusive or prioritized usage [1][2][4][5]. This surge in demand highlights a gap between European software solution usage and market demands, potentially offering an opportunity for local technology businesses to enhance their development and adoption.
