Weekly Cybersecurity Digest [December, Week 2]
Posted on December 16, 2025
Dear Valued Clients,
Welcome to this week’s cybersecurity digest from Make Sense, your trusted partner in building measurable resilience across Europe’s increasingly targeted digital and political landscape. December’s second week highlighted a sharp escalation in attacks against government communications, identity platforms, and parliamentary systems – underscoring how cyber risk now sits squarely at the intersection of diplomacy, regulation, and public trust.
From ministerial inboxes to password vaults and parliamentary networks, Europe’s cyber resilience is being tested where visibility, authority, and legitimacy matter most.
✅ Top Stories of the Week
i. French Interior Ministry Email Servers Hit by Cyberattack
On 12 December 2025, France’s Interior Ministry confirmed a cyberattack on its internal email infrastructure, with unauthorised access to some data. While core systems remained operational, the breach prompted heightened security controls and an internal investigation, highlighting persistent targeting of European government communications systems. [Read more via Reuters]
ii. UK Fines LastPass Over 2022 Data Breach Affecting Millions
The UK’s data protection regulator has fined LastPass for security failures linked to its 2022 data breach, which exposed encrypted password vaults and customer data affecting around 16 million users globally. Regulators cited inadequate technical and organisational safeguards, reinforcing expectations for stronger identity, access control and breach-prevention measures. [Read more via Bleeping Computer]
iii. German Bundestag Suffers Suspected Cyberattack During Zelenskyy Visit
On 15 December 2025, Germany’s lower house of parliament (Bundestag) experienced a primary email and communications outage at a time when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was meeting senior German leaders. Officials suspect a cyberattack targeting parliamentary systems during this high-profile diplomatic event, raising fresh concerns about politically motivated digital disruption of European political networks. [Read more via CNA]
✅ Industry Trends & Insights
EU Opens New Funding Call to Strengthen Cross-border Cyber Hubs
On 10 December 2025, the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) launched a new call for proposals to reinforce cross-border cybersecurity hubs across the EU. The initiative aims to boost collaboration between industry, academia and public authorities, strengthening innovation, skills development and collective cyber resilience under the Digital Europe Programme. [Read more via Cybersecurity-Centre]
Data Breaches Accelerate as Organisations Struggle to Contain Exposure
A new analysis highlights how data breaches have become a persistent “haemorrhage”, driven by cloud misconfigurations, credential theft and supply-chain weaknesses. The article argues that fragmented security controls and slow detection continue to amplify data loss, calling for stronger governance, continuous monitoring and resilience-focused cybersecurity strategies across sectors. [Read more via InCyber]
EU and UK Hold Third Cyber Dialogue to Strengthen Cooperation
On 9–10 December 2025, the EU and the UK convened their third Cyber Dialogue in Brussels, exchanging views on evolving threats, ransomware, cybercrime counter-measures and crisis coordination. The talks aimed to enhance joint defensive capacity and promote responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, with plans to hold the next session in London in 2026. [Read more via European External Action Service]
✅ Regulatory & Policy Updates
EU Cybersecurity Rules Draw Fire from Seven Member States Over Slow Certification Progress
On 15 December 2025, seven EU countries publicly criticised the EU cybersecurity certification framework, saying implementation under the Cybersecurity Act is lagging and needs a “fundamental reset.” They argue that the slow adoption of certification schemes for ICT products, services, and processes undermines harmonised security across the bloc and limits trust in digital markets. [Read more via Mlex]
ENISA Releases “Voices of EU Cybersecurity Certification” Stakeholder Insights
On 15 December 2025, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) published a new “Voices of EU Cybersecurity Certification” report, consolidating feedback from industry, member states and conformity assessors. The document informs the ongoing development of EU-wide cybersecurity certification schemes, crucial to harmonising product security standards and boosting trust in digital supply chains across the bloc. [Read more via ENISA]
✅ Cyber IQ Challenge + Proactive Security Hacks
Quick Quiz:
Which capability most improves resilience against attacks on government and identity infrastructure?
A) Network perimeter firewalls
B) Strong identity governance and credential lifecycle controls
C) Post-incident regulatory reporting
D) Annual penetration testing
(Answer below)
Smart Security Moves of the Week:
- Government-grade communications: Harden email, collaboration, and document-sharing platforms with continuous monitoring and anomaly detection.
- Identity resilience: Reassess password vaults, MFA enforcement, and recovery paths for third-party identity providers.
- Crisis alignment: Update incident-response playbooks to account for politically sensitive or high-visibility events.
- Certification readiness: Track EU certification developments to align procurement and assurance strategies early.
Answer: B) Strong identity governance and credential lifecycle controls
✅ Conclusion
From ministerial inbox breaches and identity-provider penalties to parliamentary outages and certification pushback, this week underscores how cyber resilience now directly underpins governance, diplomacy, and public confidence. The convergence of identity, communications, and regulatory accountability leaves little room for fragmented defences.
At Make Sense, we translate intelligence into measurable defence – strengthening identity controls, regulatory readiness, and crisis resilience across Europe’s most exposed digital environments.
Stay secure,
The Make Sense SRL Team & CyberTania
