As many as 39% more reported cyber incidents in Serbia compared to last year

According to data from the company Check Point, one in every 68 emails with an attachment received by an organization is malicious. Furthermore, in 2025, 82% of malicious files were distributed via email. RATEL and NALED note that October, International Cybersecurity Awareness Month, serves as an opportunity to highlight these risks, as well as the importance of protecting the data of citizens and the business sector.

Data from the National CERT further underscores the importance of raising cybersecurity awareness. In 2025, nearly 1,760 incidents were reported to the National CERT, a 39% increase over the previous year, continuing a multi-year upward trend in the number of reports, according to NALED.

Common threats include the theft of identities, passwords and other account access credentials, attacks on inadequately secured computer systems and incidents where data is encrypted and a ransom is demanded for its release. Artificial intelligence enables attackers to create fraudulent messages more rapidly and tailor them to the specific recipient. It is also used to mimic voices and replicate the appearance of official communications from banks, institutions and companies. Consequently, these scams are becoming increasingly convincing, making it ever more difficult for users to identify them.

A new study, the Local e-Government Index (LEI), conducted by NALED with the support of the Government of Sweden across a sample of 140 cities and municipalities, highlights the need for better protection of digital services in Serbia. According to the findings, only 39% of local self-governments fully implement the security measures prescribed by the Act on the Security of Information and Communication Systems. The same percentage of cities and municipalities have at least one staff member who has undergone training in information security within the last three years.

– Cyberattacks are a constant threat. While we cannot avoid them entirely, we can prevent them and, through proper preparation, limit their consequences. Employees, whether in the private sector or public administration, serve as the first line of defense. They must be aware of the importance of data security, both in their professional and private lives. Only through proactive protection can we reduce the risk of theft involving money, intellectual property and data – says Jovan Milosavljevic, a representative of the National CERT and a member of NALED's e-Government Alliance.

Cyberattacks affect virtually every sector. In 2025, the education sector was the most frequent target, experiencing a 22% increase in attacks compared to the previous year. This is followed by public administration, telecommunications and healthcare. In the hospitality, tourism and sports sectors, the number of attacks rose by 50%, a trend that points to growing interest among attackers in industries characterized by a high volume of transactions and the processing of significant amounts of personal data.

Attacks in which data is locked for the purpose of extorting money, known as ransomware, also affect a wide range of sectors. According to publicly available data on ransomware victims, in 2025, business services accounted for 11% of targets, followed by industrial manufacturing and consumer goods at 10% each, construction at 9%, and healthcare at 8%. These figures highlight the critical importance of employee training and the consistent, day-to-day application of protective measures for all organizations.

NALED Beograd

RATEL Beograd

Info point d.o.o. Beograd

NALED

RATEL

National CERT

Check Point

Local e Government Index

Jovan Milosavljević

cyber incidents