In this article, Hans Horan analyses how North Korea has become an under-examined strategic cyber threat to Europe’s security and resilience, drawing on findings from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity’s (ENISA) Threat Landscape 2025 report. The report ranks North Korean state-aligned hackers as the third most active cyber threat actor targeting the EU, behind only Russia and China, and ahead of Iran, signalling a significant escalation in Pyongyang’s global cyber operations.

Horan explores the threat posed by North Korea’s cyber activity and how it encompasses more than just cryptocurrency theft. Indeed, Pyongyang also launches sophisticated espionage campaigns targeting Europe’s financial, defence, and technology sectors. Facing long-term economic decline and sustained international sanctions, Pyongyang increasingly relies on cyber operations to fund its regime, collect strategic intelligence, and advance its geopolitical objectives. The article highlights how these operations could intersect with Europe’s defence-industrial expansion, particularly new partnerships with South Korea, which have created fresh digital vulnerabilities that North Korean groups are adept at exploiting.

You can access the full article here: https://thediplomat.com/2025/10/is-north-korea-a-strategic-cyber-threat-to-europe