Ukraine ranked third worldwide and first in Europe for the number of cyberattacks in the first half of 2026. Ukrainian organisations and users accounted for 4.8% of all recorded attacks, surpassed only by the United States and Israel.
According to Microsoft's latest Digital Defense Report, Ukraine is among the primary targets of Russian state-sponsored hacking groups, accounting for 14% of their recorded activity.
By comparison, Ukraine ranked fifth globally and third among European countries last year.
Globally, the government sector accounted for the largest share of cyberattacks, rising from 17% in 2025 to 27% in 2026.
Microsoft attributes this trend to the large volumes of data held by government institutions and their role in maintaining essential services and critical infrastructure.
Phishing attacks have also increased significantly, with their share of recorded intrusions rising from 7% to 23%.
In more than half of the cases where attackers gained access using legitimate accounts, they attempted to steal additional login credentials.
Microsoft also warns that the time between the discovery of new vulnerabilities and their exploitation in real-world attacks is shrinking.
The company estimates that the number of publicly disclosed vulnerabilities, known as Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), could reach a record 72,000 in 2026.
Artificial intelligence is becoming another major cybersecurity challenge. Hackers are using AI to accelerate attacks, while companies must simultaneously protect their own AI systems and manage AI agents' access to corporate data.
