Rising Cyber Risk During Ireland’s EU Presidency
Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, beginning on 1st July 2026, represents a significant milestone but will also bring a substantial increase in sensitive communications, intergovernmental engagement, and public-facing digital activity. Set against ongoing geopolitical tension, this expanded digital footprint will heighten Ireland’s exposure to hostile cyber activity.
Lessons from Recent EU Presidencies
Recent EU Presidencies demonstrate that these risks are both real and continuing to evolve. Denmark’s Presidency in 2025 faced repeated cyberattacks on government and defence systems, including DDoS campaigns that temporarily disrupted public websites. In one instance, pro-Russian actors targeted government and political party platforms ahead of local Danish elections.
Cyprus experienced both DDoS activity and coordinated disinformation under its Presidency; one such case involved a manipulated video alleging corruption, later deemed falsified, but which caused significant political fallout.
At the same time, state‑aligned actors continue to pursue strategic intelligence. In May 2025, the Czech government attributed a cyberattack on its foreign ministry to the Chinese state-sponsored group APT31. The campaign, which began in 2022 during Czechia’s EU Presidency, enabled unauthorised access to unclassified emails exchanged between embassies and EU institutions.
Risks at Major EU Events
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that attacks during the Presidency may focus not only on disrupting services but also on damaging the reputation of Ireland and the EU. Risk is expected to peak around major events, including European Council meetings and the European Political Community summit in November, where even short-lived outages, such as website or accreditation system failures, could undermine confidence.
Cross-Sector and National-Level Exposure
The risk also extends beyond central government. Ireland’s concentration of global technology firms, financial services, and critical infrastructure broadens the target base and raises the risk of cross-sector disruption. A more expansive scenario could involve simultaneous attacks on government systems, cloud services, financial platforms, and telecommunications networks. Given Ireland’s role in global data flows, such incidents could also have wider international effects.
Specific risks include:
- Disruption to cloud and remote access points,
- Interference with ICT and financial systems,
- Impacts on communications networks, and
- Attacks affecting transport or logistics systems.
These may be amplified by coordinated disinformation campaigns designed to exaggerate impact and erode public trust. Even short-lived or localised incidents could therefore have broader operational and reputational consequences.
Preparedness and Resilience Priorities
Early and proactive preparation is essential. Public sector bodies should plan for a sustained period of heightened cyber risk, align with frameworks such as NIS2 and DORA, and prioritise scenario testing and crisis response. This should be supported by stronger monitoring and detection, proactive cyber defence, and better supply chain security. Core measures, including patch management, network segmentation, multi-factor authentication, endpoint security, and staff awareness, remain critical.
Conclusion: A Coordinated National Response
Ireland’s EU Presidency should be regarded as a period of heightened strategic cyber exposure, requiring coordinated cross-sector preparedness and timely action to safeguard public services and critical infrastructure.
Crowleys DFK’s Public Sector and Government Services Department is supporting clients in preparing for the requirements of the NIS2 Directive. Whether you need assistance assessing your current cybersecurity posture, reviewing governance and risk management measures, identifying compliance gaps, or evaluating the wider operational impact of NIS2, we can help.
If you would like to learn more about our NIS2 preparedness review services, please get in touch with our team.
