Cybersecurity threats are accelerating across Europe at a rate faster than anywhere else in the world, driven by a surge in email-borne attacks and sophisticated exploitation of artificial intelligence, according to a recent report by Tech Radar.
Proofpoint telemetry indicates that phishing attempts in Europe increased 4.5 times compared to 2025, significantly outpacing global trends. Business Email Compromise attacks remain a primary concern, particularly within the electronics sector where supply-chain invoice fraud is prevalent. The hospitality and healthcare industries face disproportionate risks, with malware detections in hospitality reaching 21% and telephone-oriented attack delivery rising 257% in healthcare. Researchers noted that European users are more susceptible to engagement, recording 8.3 clicks per 100 threat emails compared to 2.0 worldwide. Threat actors from Russia and China continue to dominate, though groups from India and Pakistan are increasingly targeting Western Europe. Furthermore, the integration of AI-enabled applications has introduced new vulnerabilities, with 188,000 apps creating identity control challenges. Attackers are now targeting AI infrastructure, including Langflow and LiteLLM, with attacks on these building blocks increasing 4.6 times over recent 90-day periods. Nearly 99% of European organizations faced cloud-based threats, as adversaries prioritize maintaining long-term access and manipulating authentication controls.
Source: Tech Radar
