New cybersecurity threat-focused reports from ENISA

The latest ENISA reports help inform about  threat response and a more effective, risk-based approach to cybersecurity

In December 2024, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) released its first-ever report on the state of cybersecurity in the Union. The report, which was prepared in accordance with Article 18 of the NIS2 Directive, is a comprehensive, evidence-based overview of the cybersecurity ecosystem across EU Member States.

At Obrela we welcome the release of this important new report, which will be updated and released biannually.  The report reinforce the notion that businesses need to  make more informed cybersecurity policy decisions, improve cybersecurity awareness across the EU, and help organisations to improve and adapt their cybersecurity strategies, implement threat-informed cybersecurity solutions whilst reducing cyber risk.

Highlights of the ENISA State of Cybersecurity in the Union report include:

• The current legislative context (NIS2, Cyber Resilience Act, Cyber Solidarity Act,  European Common Criteria-based cybersecurity certification scheme, etc )
• The cybersecurity maturity of EU Member States with progresses and areas for improvement.
• Define Objectives of Cyber Security strategies  (incident mechanism to public-private partnership)
• Identification of the most significant current cyber threats, such as ransomware, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, and supply chain attacks.
• In-depth discussion of the impact of the geopolitical events on the cybersecurity landscape.
• that the criticality and maturity of sectors like public administration, transport, finance, health and digital infrastructure to face cyberattacks as mostly hit
• Recommendations to enhance cybersecurity resilience, including strengthening technical and financial support, revising the EU Blueprint for coordinated responses and implementing the Cybersecurity Skills Academy.
• Emerging trends. These include the use of cyber-attacks and the growing importance of supply chain security.
• It has been found that there has been an increase in cybersecurity awareness among EU citizens.
• Implementing a comprehensive and complementary cybersecurity policy framework
• Cybersecurity risk management measures for essential and important entities.
• Supply Chain increased cyber attacks and recommendations

This report draws on several existing sources and includes extensive consultation with all 27 EU Member States and the EC. Research sources included the EU Cybersecurity Index, the NIS Investment reports series, the Foresight 2030 and the well-established source of threat insight, the ENISA Threat Landscape report.

Furthermore, the ENISA Threat Landscape report was released in September 2024. In its 12th annual publication based on ENISA’s extensive research of the current cybersecurity threat landscape, it focuses on identifying the top and emerging threats, along with trends in the cyber security ecosystem and activities of various threat actors.

The ENISA Threat Landscape report has become an important resource to help decision-makers, policymakers and security specialists more effectively work to reduce cyber threats and better protect citizens, organizations and the EU cyberspace.

Key findings of the ENISA Threat Landscape 2024 report, which covers threats from July 2023 – July 2024, include:

• There had been a notable escalation in cybersecurity attacks, setting new benchmarks in both the variety and number of incidents.
• The report identifies seven prime cybersecurity threats - ransomware, malware, social engineering, threats against data, threats against availability, information manipulation and interference.
• Supply chain attacks with threats against availability (such as Denial of Service attacks) at the top of the list, followed by ransomware, threats against data, malware, social engineering, information manipulation, and supply chain attacks.
• Ransomware and Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks continue to dominate the threat landscape and are responsible for more than half of all recorded incidents.
• The report highlights the activities of various threat actors, including state-nexus actors, cybercrime groups, hacker-for-hire actors, and hacktivists.
• Ongoing geopolitical conflicts have significantly influenced the threat landscape, with hacktivism steadily increasing.
• Social engineering attacks have grown significantly, with new techniques and the use of AI becoming more prevalent. Phishing remains the top attack vector.
• ENISA provides recommendations for mitigating threats, emphasising the importance of robust cybersecurity practices, awareness and the implementation of the NIS2 Directive.

Why the ENISA reports are important

Now in its 20^th year, ENISA exists to help keep Europe's nations and its citizens digitally secure by fostering cooperation and building resilience against cyber threats. Together, these two ENISA reports are important for advising nation-state policy and decision-makers. The insights and guidance they provide are also valuable for anyone involved in cybersecurity to help them enhance protection and resilience against cyber threats through a more threat-informed, risk-based approach.

With cyber threats constantly growing and evolving, having an approach that is properly aligned to the actual risk any specific organisation is faced with, is essential.

ENISA’s ongoing research is invaluable in helping inform this risk-aligned approach.

It is only by having awareness of the threats and actual risks an organisation, and the industry and ecosystem it operates in, is facing that it is possible to implement solutions that cost effectively maximise cyber security effectiveness and increase resilience.

A risk-based approach ensures resources are allocated properly, defenses are targeted in the right areas, and the organization is as prepared as possible to respond to and recover from any potential attack.

Learn more about Obrela’s  solutions that ensure a risk-based approach to cyber security and help your business cost-effectively build more resilience to cyber threats whilst adhering to ENISA-related recommended approaches to stay ahead of possible attacks