Cyberattacks are no longer just a matter for IT specialists. Against a backdrop marked by the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East and growing rivalries between major powers, they have become a fully-fledged instrument in the confrontation between states. Sabotage, espionage, the destabilisation of critical infrastructure and influence campaigns: cyberspace now constitutes an invisible yet constant front in contemporary conflicts.
The enemy’s intention to destabilise
“We now talk about hybrid warfare. Before resorting to armed force, enemy forces will carry out operations in cyberspace with a view to destabilising the targeted countries, in particular by targeting critical infrastructure or by conducting disinformation campaigns,” explains 
This trend, against a backdrop of escalating international crises, is now clearly evident. As a member of Nato and the European Union, and at the heart of numerous strategic European infrastructures and services, Luxembourg is regularly targeted by activists and cybercriminals. “Following the announcement of a measure by Luxembourg to support Ukraine, for example, we have seen an increase in DDoS attacks targeting Luxembourg,” continues Ben Fetler. “Whilst not constituting formal proof of a causal link, these correlations illustrate the fact that no allied country is entirely immune to the digital repercussions of international crises.”
An interconnected country is never left behind
To address these challenges, the Defence Directorate is guided by a cyber defence strategy set out up to 2030, which is aligned with national objectives as well as those of Nato and the European Union.
“This strategy is based on four complementary pillars. The first aims to develop skills, in particular through an awareness-raising programme, continuing professional development and the creation of a Master’s degree in cybersecurity and cyberdefence at the University of Luxembourg. The second focuses on developing new capabilities to support not only Luxembourg’s defence forces, but also Nato and the European Union, in order to contribute to the collective resilience of our partners. The third involves integrating cybersecurity requirements into all activities and projects, in collaboration with the private sector,” explains Ben Fetler. “Finally, the fourth is dedicated to anticipating technological developments and emerging threats.”
For a country such as Luxembourg, the challenge is not merely to protect its own infrastructure. It is also a matter of contributing to the resilience of the defence and service chains on which its European and Atlantic partners depend. In a highly interconnected environment, the strength of the whole depends on the strength of each of its individual links.
Building resilience rather than seeking invulnerability
In the cyber domain, the aim is not to eliminate all risk. “Rather, it is a question of reducing vulnerabilities, identifying critical dependencies and preparing to deal with incidents that have become inevitable,” the manager continues. This approach is particularly important given that attackers are now seeking to exploit supply chains and the interdependencies between organisations. “Attackers analyse the various dependencies and then look for small-scale infrastructure that could have an impact on other, larger systems,” explains Ben Fetler. “They are always looking to find the weakest link. It is essential to strengthen the chain as a whole.”
This vigilance is all the more necessary given that supply chains have become prime targets for attack. A vulnerability at a service provider or subcontractor can now have repercussions across the entire ecosystem. This is precisely one of the issues addressed by the European NIS2 Directive.
A shared responsibility
Cyber resilience therefore relies, above all, on cooperation. “In the event of a crisis, competition must be set aside. It is important to work in a coordinated manner to counter the effects of an attack,” says Ben Fetler. Whilst Luxembourg has not yet established a national cyber defence reserve, one of the objectives is to bring together the various stakeholders. “This approach is reflected, in particular, in the regular organisation of exercises such as Cyber Fortress, hosted on the Luxembourg Defence Force’s Cyber Range simulation platform, and in Luxembourg’s participation in Locked Shields, one of the largest international cyber defence exercises,” explains Ben Fetler. “Beyond training, these initiatives help to strengthen the exchange of information and prepare the cooperation mechanisms that could prove decisive during a real crisis.”
Preparation must also take into account a constantly evolving technological environment. Artificial intelligence, automated attacks, connected devices and quantum computing are already changing the threat landscape. “We’re seeing more automation in attacks, a greater number of attacks and far more attackers,” notes Ben Fetler. Whilst artificial intelligence provides attackers with a new tool, it also offers new capabilities for detection and defence.
Strengthening digital sovereignty
For the cyber security manager, however, the main challenge may be shifting towards another issue: the integrity of the data and models used by these systems. “Up until now, it was confidentiality that posed the biggest problem for us. But we’re now seeing a shift towards integrity,” he explains. “In a world where decisions are increasingly based on intelligent systems, data reliability, the traceability of decisions and maintaining human oversight are becoming major issues.”
This focus on resilience also involves ensuring control over strategic infrastructure. The Defence Directorate is therefore developing the Luxembourg Cyber Defence Cloud, designed to provide secure storage and computing capabilities for sensitive or classified data. Beyond the technological aspect, the initiative addresses the issue of digital sovereignty, at a time when dependence on certain international platforms is attracting increasing attention.
All these initiatives must help to strengthen Luxembourg’s digital resilience in the face of a rapidly evolving threat. At a time when the boundaries between national security, economic resilience and digital sovereignty are becoming increasingly blurred, cyber defence is no longer the sole preserve of specialists. It is now a collective challenge, central to societies’ ability to withstand the crises of the future.