Russian cyberattacks against NATO members up 25% in a year, analysis shows

Published on 17/10/2025 - 14:40 GMT+2

Russian cyberattacks against NATO countries surged by 25 per cent successful a year, according to a caller study by Microsoft.

While Ukraine is still Russia’s superior target, nan study recovered that nan remainder of nan apical 10 countries are each NATO members.

Twenty per cent of Russia’s cyberattacks targeted nan United States, followed by nan United Kingdom astatine 12 per cent and Germany astatine 6 per cent.

Belgium, Italy, Estonia, France, nan Netherlands, and Poland were each targeted successful 5 per cent aliases less of Russia’s cyberattacks.

The findings travel amid rising tensions betwixt Russia and nan European Union. Earlier this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accusedRussia of waging a “deliberate and targeted grey area campaign” against Europe successful nan aftermath of drone incursions complete its airspace, calling it “hybrid warfare”.

“This is not random harassment. It is simply a coherent and escalating run to unsettle our citizens, trial our resolve, disagreement our Union, and weaken our support for Ukraine," she told members of nan European Parliament successful Strasbourg.

The Microsoft study said that Russia’s displacement to a broader group of targets complete nan past twelvemonth “has put much organisations astatine consequence of compromise,” chiefly for cyber espionage, though it didn’t specify what that mightiness look like.

It said 25 per cent of Russia’s cyberattacks were aimed astatine authorities agencies and 13 per cent each aimed astatine investigation groups and nonprofits aliases deliberation tanks.

In NATO personnel states, these sectors are seen arsenic having “intelligence value” for Russia amid nan ongoing warfare pinch Ukraine, nan study said.

Russians are simultaneously uncovering caller targets for cyberattacks. Microsoft noted that it has seen a “modest increase” successful nan number of Russian actors targeting mini businesses successful Ukraine-allied countries, alternatively of focusing connected much “conventional” targets for illustration authorities agencies.

The study said Russian actors mightiness spot mini businesses arsenic easier “pivot points” that they tin usage to entree larger organisations.