Weekly Cybersecurity Digest [February, Week 3]
Posted on February 24, 2026
Dear Valued Clients,
This week’s developments highlight a growing shift in Europe’s cyber risk landscape – from isolated incidents to systemic exposure affecting financial identity, consumer trust and large-scale public events. As attackers increasingly exploit personal data, public platforms, and high-visibility events, resilience must extend beyond infrastructure to encompass trust ecosystems.
At Make Sense, we translate these evolving signals into actionable intelligence, helping organisations strengthen operational readiness and protect confidence across Europe’s interconnected digital environment.
✅ Top Stories of the Week
i. France National Bank Accounts File Breached
French authorities confirmed unauthorised access to the country’s central National Bank Accounts File (FICOBA), exposing sensitive financial identifiers used by public agencies. While payment data was not compromised, the breach raises risks of identity fraud and targeted scams. The incident underscores growing pressure on national financial registries across Europe. [Read more via The Record]
ii. Eurail Customer Data Appears for Sale on Dark Web
European rail operator Eurail confirmed that customer data stolen in a cyber incident is circulating on dark-web forums. Exposed information may include names, travel details, and passport data, increasing the risks of phishing and impersonation. The company has notified EU data protection authorities and warned travellers to remain vigilant. [Read more via TechRadar]
iii. Olympic-Themed Cyber Scams Target European Consumers
Security researchers uncovered a large network of fraudulent websites impersonating official Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics stores. The sites lure users with heavy discounts to harvest payment and personal data. Authorities warn that the fast-rotating domains make enforcement difficult, highlighting the growing scale of event-driven cybercrime across Europe. [Read more via Reuters]
Action prompt: Audit your brand protection controls – could attackers quickly clone your campaigns, domains or event promotions?
✅ Industry Trends & Insights
European Cybersecurity Market Growth Driven by Regulation and Attack Surge
New market intelligence released 19–20 February indicates strong growth across Europe’s cybersecurity sector, driven by rising attack volumes and expanding regulatory obligations. Demand is accelerating in Germany, France, the Nordics and Poland, particularly for cloud security, managed services and compliance solutions aligned with NIS2 and sector-specific resilience requirements. [Read more via cbi.eu]
AI Becomes Central to European Security Operations Investment
Industry analysis published 21–22 February highlights AI as a top investment priority for European security teams. Organisations are deploying AI-driven detection, automated response and behavioural analytics to counter increasingly complex threats. However, experts warn that “shadow AI” use by employees is creating new data-exposure risks requiring governance and monitoring. [Read more via TechRadar]
Consider: Where could unmanaged AI use within your organisation create unintended data leakage or compliance exposure?
Global Cybersecurity Outlook Flags Growing European Systemic Risk
Published 18–19 February, the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 warns of widening resilience gaps across Europe, driven by supply-chain concentration, talent shortages and rising geopolitical cyber threats. The report calls for stronger cross-border cooperation and public-private coordination to manage systemic risk across critical sectors. [Read more via World Economic Forum]
✅ Regulatory & Policy Updates
EU Delays “Made in Europe” Cyber and Tech Sovereignty Plan
On 23 February, the European Commission postponed its “Made in Europe” initiative aimed at strengthening domestic technology production and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers for critical digital and cyber infrastructure. Disagreements among Member States over scope and eligibility delayed the announcement, highlighting ongoing tensions around digital sovereignty and supply-chain security. [Read more via Reuters]
Reflect: How exposed is your organisation to geopolitical risk through reliance on non-EU technology providers?
✅ Cyber IQ Challenge + Proactive Security Hacks
Quick Quiz:
What is the primary driver of systemic cyber risk across Europe in 2026?
A) Increasing ransomware payments
B) Supply-chain concentration and shared dependencies
C) Lack of endpoint protection
D) Rising cyber insurance costs
(Answer below)
Smart Security Moves of the Week
- Strengthen identity resilience: Monitor for credential misuse and abnormal access following external data leaks.
- Control shadow AI: Establish approved tools, data-handling rules and monitoring for unsanctioned AI use.
- Harden brand protection: Implement continuous domain and impersonation monitoring for campaigns and events.
- Map systemic exposure: Identify critical third-party dependencies and test disruption scenarios across suppliers and cloud providers.
Answer: B) Supply-chain concentration and shared dependencies.
✅ Conclusion
From national financial registries and dark-web data exposure to Olympic-themed fraud and systemic risk warnings, this week reinforces a critical reality: Europe’s cyber challenge is increasingly about protecting trust at scale. Identity, reputation and ecosystem dependencies now sit alongside infrastructure as core resilience priorities.
Final reflection: If a major partner, platform or dataset were compromised tomorrow, how quickly could you assess your exposure and maintain stakeholder confidence?
At Make Sense, we turn intelligence into measurable resilience – strengthening governance, managing third-party risk and preparing organisations for systemic disruption across Europe’s evolving threat landscape.
Stay secure,
The Make Sense SRL Team & CyberTania
