EU cyber defenses weakened by poor data sharing
The European Union's efforts to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks are being undermined by member states' failure to share enough information about serious incidents, the European Court of Auditors said Monday.
The EU is increasing investment in cybersecurity and has allocated about €1.4 billion ($1.61 billion) under its current budget. But auditors said cooperation between member states and EU institutions was not delivering its full potential.
Information sharing called system's weak point
The court described poor information sharing as the "Achilles heel" of the EU's cybersecurity system, warning that timely and actionable information is essential when major attacks occur.
According to Reuters, the report pointed to a ransomware attack in September 2025 targeting a technology provider serving the aviation industry. The incident disrupted operations at airports in London, Brussels, Berlin, Dublin and other European hubs.
None of the affected countries notified the EU cybersecurity agency or other member states about the incident, according to the auditors.
National security laws create barriers
The auditors said national security legislation was making it difficult for countries to exchange information about cyber incidents that cross borders.
They also noted that no EU member state has reported a "large-scale" cybersecurity incident since 2016, despite the official definition covering attacks affecting at least two member states.
Four countries face legal action
The European Commission referred France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain to the EU Court of Justice in July over their failure to bring national legislation into line with EU requirements for cybersecurity information sharing.
The auditors said stronger cooperation and more effective exchange of information are needed if the bloc's growing cybersecurity investment is to translate into more effective protection against cross-border attacks.
Source:Kathimerini
