GENEVA

Belgium is becoming a growing target for cyber operations carried out by foreign governments, particularly Russia, VRT News reported Saturday, citing Microsoft's 2025 annual cybersecurity report.

The tech company says that 5% of all cyberattacks attributed to Russian actors worldwide were directed at Belgium, including recent disruptions at Proximus, Scarlet, and Ghent University Hospital.

Bart Asnot, cybersecurity expert at Microsoft Belgium and Luxembourg, said in the report that Belgium's strategic role makes it a prime target.

"NATO, the EU institutions, Eurocontrol -- they’re all here. Geographically and politically, Belgium is the heart of Europe," he said.

The attacks are often carried out by so-called hacktivist groups acting on behalf of Russia. Many rely on DDoS attacks, which flood companies with internet traffic to knock websites or services offline, according to the report.

"These attacks don't break into systems but are meant to disrupt and send a message -- to show they are watching us," Asnot said.

While state-backed operations are rising, most incidents still come from cybercriminals seeking money or data. Microsoft says only 4% of attacks involve espionage, while 81% focus on financial gain. The financial, IT, education, and research sectors are among the most targeted.

The report also highlighted a sharp increase in AI-powered phishing. With AI tools, hackers can now generate convincing, personalized emails within seconds. Microsoft detected nearly 7,000 password attacks every second, a figure that rose by 30% this year.