The European Union, where grand gestures and sternly-worded press releases are the epitome of effective action.

Today, ‎we‏ ‎celebrate ‎the ‎EU’s ‎latest ‎triumph‏ ‎in ‎the‏ ‎fight‏ ‎against ‎cybercrime: ‎adding‏ ‎six ‎people‏ ‎to ‎a ‎sanctions ‎list.‏ ‎Yes,‏ ‎you ‎read‏ ‎that ‎right‏ ‎— ‎six ‎whole ‎people. ‎The‏ ‎scourge‏ ‎of ‎cyber-attacks‏ ‎must ‎be‏ ‎shaking ‎in ‎its ‎digital ‎boots.

In‏ ‎a‏ ‎bold‏ ‎move, ‎the‏ ‎EU ‎has‏ ‎decided ‎to‏ ‎freeze‏ ‎the ‎assets‏ ‎of ‎these ‎six ‎individuals ‎and‏ ‎ban ‎them‏ ‎from‏ ‎traveling ‎to ‎the‏ ‎EU. ‎Oh,‏ ‎the ‎horror ‎No ‎more‏ ‎sipping‏ ‎espresso ‎in‏ ‎Paris ‎or‏ ‎strolling ‎along ‎the ‎canals ‎of‏ ‎Amsterdam‏ ‎for ‎these‏ ‎cyber ‎warriors.‏ ‎The ‎EU ‎has ‎truly ‎outdone‏ ‎itself‏ ‎this‏ ‎time.

But ‎wait,‏ ‎there’s ‎more‏ ‎The ‎EU‏ ‎has‏ ‎also ‎vowed‏ ‎to ‎«step ‎up ‎efforts ‎to‏ ‎provide ‎a‏ ‎stronger‏ ‎response ‎to ‎persistent‏ ‎malicious ‎cyber‏ ‎activities.» ‎Because, ‎you ‎know,‏ ‎that’s‏ ‎exactly ‎what’s‏ ‎been ‎missing‏ ‎— ‎a ‎stronger ‎response. ‎Not,‏ ‎say,‏ ‎actual ‎action‏ ‎or ‎tangible‏ ‎results, ‎but ‎a ‎stronger ‎response.‏ ‎That’s‏ ‎sure‏ ‎to ‎strike‏ ‎fear ‎into‏ ‎the ‎hearts‏ ‎of‏ ‎everyone ‎everywhere.

And‏ ‎let’s ‎not ‎forget ‎the ‎EU’s‏ ‎impressive ‎track‏ ‎record‏ ‎on ‎cybersecurity.

The ‎EU’s‏ ‎Greatest ‎Hits‏ ‎in ‎Cyber ‎Sanctions:

2020: The ‎First‏ ‎Ever‏ ‎Cyber ‎Sanctions:

📌Target: Six‏ ‎individuals ‎and‏ ‎three ‎entities.

📌Actions: Travel ‎bans, ‎asset ‎freezes,‏ ‎and‏ ‎prohibitions ‎on‏ ‎EU ‎entities‏ ‎making ‎funds ‎available ‎to ‎the‏ ‎sanctioned‏ ‎parties.

📌Impact: Groundbreaking,‏ ‎in ‎the‏ ‎sense ‎that‏ ‎it ‎was‏ ‎the‏ ‎first ‎time‏ ‎the ‎EU ‎decided ‎to ‎«bite‏ ‎back» ‎at‏ ‎cyber‏ ‎warriors. ‎But ‎did‏ ‎it ‎stop‏ ‎the ‎cyber ‎onslaught? ‎Not‏ ‎really.‏ ‎Cyberattacks ‎continued‏ ‎to ‎rise,‏ ‎and ‎the ‎EU’s ‎digital ‎defenses‏ ‎remained‏ ‎as ‎porous‏ ‎as ‎ever.

2023: Sanctions‏ ‎on ‎Russian ‎Hackers:

📌Target: Eleven ‎Russian ‎nationals‏ ‎involved‏ ‎in‏ ‎the ‎Trickbot‏ ‎and ‎Conti‏ ‎ransomware ‎schemes.

📌Actions: Similar‏ ‎to‏ ‎the ‎2020‏ ‎sanctions ‎— ‎travel ‎bans ‎and‏ ‎asset ‎freezes.

📌Impact: The‏ ‎sanctions‏ ‎were ‎more ‎about‏ ‎making ‎a‏ ‎statement ‎than ‎causing ‎any‏ ‎real‏ ‎disruption. ‎The‏ ‎hackers ‎continued‏ ‎their ‎operations, ‎and ‎the ‎EU’s‏ ‎cybersecurity‏ ‎landscape ‎saw‏ ‎little ‎improvement.

2024: The‏ ‎Latest ‎Sanctions:

📌Target: Six ‎individuals, ‎including ‎members‏ ‎of‏ ‎notorious‏ ‎groups ‎like‏ ‎Wizard ‎Spider‏ ‎and ‎Callisto.

📌Actions: You‏ ‎guessed‏ ‎it ‎—‏ ‎travel ‎bans, ‎asset ‎freezes, ‎and‏ ‎prohibitions ‎on‏ ‎transactions‏ ‎with ‎EU ‎entities.

📌Impact: The‏ ‎EU ‎proudly‏ ‎announced ‎that ‎this ‎was‏ ‎the‏ ‎first ‎time‏ ‎they ‎targeted‏ ‎cyber ‎warriors ‎using ‎ransomware ‎against‏ ‎essential‏ ‎services ‎like‏ ‎healthcare ‎and‏ ‎banking. ‎But ‎let’s ‎be ‎real‏ ‎—‏ ‎the‏ ‎hackers ‎are‏ ‎probably ‎not‏ ‎losing ‎sleep‏ ‎over‏ ‎their ‎inability‏ ‎to ‎vacation ‎in ‎the ‎French‏ ‎Riviera.

The ‎EU’s‏ ‎To-Do‏ ‎List ‎for ‎Cyber‏ ‎Sanctions:

📌Identify ‎a‏ ‎few ‎cybercriminals: ‎Six ‎individuals,‏ ‎to‏ ‎be ‎precise.‏ ‎Because, ‎you‏ ‎know, ‎cybercrime ‎is ‎totally ‎limited‏ ‎to‏ ‎just ‎a‏ ‎handful ‎of‏ ‎people.

📌Freeze ‎their ‎assets: ‎Because ‎nothing‏ ‎says‏ ‎«we‏ ‎mean ‎business»‏ ‎like ‎preventing‏ ‎these ‎hackers‏ ‎from‏ ‎accessing ‎their‏ ‎European ‎vacation ‎funds.

📌Ban ‎them ‎from‏ ‎traveling ‎to‏ ‎the‏ ‎EU: ‎Now ‎they‏ ‎can’t ‎enjoy‏ ‎the ‎Eiffel ‎Tower ‎or‏ ‎the‏ ‎Colosseum. ‎That’ll‏ ‎teach ‎them.

📌Issue‏ ‎a ‎press ‎release: The ‎pièce ‎de‏ ‎résistance.‏ ‎A ‎strongly‏ ‎worded ‎statement‏ ‎to ‎show ‎the ‎world ‎that‏ ‎the‏ ‎EU‏ ‎is ‎on‏ ‎top ‎of‏ ‎things.

The ‎Reality:

📌Impact‏ ‎on‏ ‎Cybercrime: ‎Minimal,‏ ‎if ‎any. ‎Cyberattacks ‎from ‎Russian‏ ‎groups ‎like‏ ‎Fancy‏ ‎Bear ‎and ‎Wizard‏ ‎Spider ‎continue‏ ‎unabated, ‎targeting ‎critical ‎infrastructure‏ ‎and‏ ‎causing ‎significant‏ ‎economic ‎damage.

📌Deterrence:‏ ‎Questionable. ‎The ‎sanctions ‎are ‎more‏ ‎about‏ ‎making ‎a‏ ‎public ‎statement‏ ‎than ‎actually ‎disrupting ‎the ‎operations‏ ‎of‏ ‎these‏ ‎cybercriminals.

📌Operational ‎Effectiveness: The‏ ‎EU’s ‎sanctions‏ ‎are ‎often‏ ‎seen‏ ‎as ‎a‏ ‎tactic ‎to ‎sow ‎discord ‎within‏ ‎cybercriminal ‎groups‏ ‎rather‏ ‎than ‎a ‎direct‏ ‎financial ‎hit.‏ ‎Naming ‎and ‎shaming ‎might‏ ‎stress‏ ‎some ‎relationships,‏ ‎but ‎it‏ ‎hardly ‎stops ‎the ‎attacks.

Money

Ah, ‎the‏ ‎EU’s‏ ‎grand ‎strategy‏ ‎to ‎prevent‏ ‎cyberattacks ‎— ‎a ‎tale ‎of‏ ‎throwing‏ ‎money‏ ‎at ‎the‏ ‎problem ‎and‏ ‎hoping ‎it‏ ‎goes‏ ‎away. ‎Let’s‏ ‎take ‎a ‎look ‎at ‎how‏ ‎the ‎EU‏ ‎has‏ ‎been ‎filling ‎its‏ ‎coffers ‎and‏ ‎what ‎they’ve ‎been ‎doing‏ ‎with‏ ‎all ‎that‏ ‎cash.

The ‎EU’s‏ ‎Cybersecurity ‎Funding ‎Extravaganza

Horizon ‎Europe:

📌Budget: €15 billion ‎for‏ ‎digital‏ ‎and ‎industry-related‏ ‎projects, ‎including‏ ‎cybersecurity.

📌Focus: Research ‎into ‎cutting-edge ‎technologies ‎like‏ ‎AI‏ ‎and‏ ‎quantum ‎computing‏ ‎to ‎bolster‏ ‎cybersecurity.

Digital ‎Europe‏ ‎Programme:

📌Budget: €1.6 billion‏ ‎specifically ‎for‏ ‎cybersecurity, ‎out ‎of ‎a ‎total‏ ‎€7.5 ‎billion‏ ‎for‏ ‎various ‎digital ‎initiatives.

📌Focus: Building‏ ‎European ‎cybersecurity‏ ‎infrastructures, ‎promoting ‎state-of-the-art ‎practices,‏ ‎and‏ ‎enhancing ‎digital‏ ‎sovereignty.

European ‎Cybersecurity‏ ‎Competence ‎Centre ‎(ECCC):

📌Role: Manages ‎projects ‎funded‏ ‎by‏ ‎the ‎Digital‏ ‎Europe ‎Programme‏ ‎and ‎other ‎initiatives.

📌Focus: Strengthening ‎the ‎cybersecurity‏ ‎ecosystem,‏ ‎supporting‏ ‎national ‎SOCs,‏ ‎and ‎developing‏ ‎advanced ‎technologies.

Connecting‏ ‎Europe‏ ‎Facility ‎(CEF):

📌Budget: Part‏ ‎of ‎the ‎€2 ‎trillion ‎Recovery‏ ‎Plan ‎for‏ ‎Europe.

📌Focus: High-performance‏ ‎digital ‎infrastructure, ‎secure‏ ‎communication ‎networks,‏ ‎and ‎cybersecurity ‎enhancements.

European ‎Defence‏ ‎Fund‏ ‎(EDF):

📌Budget: €60 million ‎for‏ ‎2023.

📌Focus: Cybersecurity ‎solutions‏ ‎for ‎defense ‎systems ‎and ‎enhancing‏ ‎the‏ ‎cybersecurity ‎of‏ ‎defense ‎infrastructure.

The‏ ‎Extra ‎Reality

📌Throwing ‎Money ‎at ‎the‏ ‎Problem:‏ ‎The‏ ‎EU ‎has‏ ‎certainly ‎not‏ ‎been ‎shy‏ ‎about‏ ‎allocating ‎funds‏ ‎to ‎cybersecurity. ‎With ‎billions ‎earmarked‏ ‎for ‎various‏ ‎programs,‏ ‎you’d ‎think ‎they’d‏ ‎have ‎this‏ ‎cyber ‎thing ‎under ‎control‏ ‎by‏ ‎now. ‎But‏ ‎alas, ‎the‏ ‎cyberattacks ‎keep ‎coming, ‎and ‎the‏ ‎hackers‏ ‎are ‎still‏ ‎having ‎a‏ ‎field ‎day.

📌Research ‎and ‎Innovation: Sure, ‎investing‏ ‎in‏ ‎AI,‏ ‎quantum ‎computing,‏ ‎and ‎other‏ ‎advanced ‎technologies‏ ‎sounds‏ ‎impressive. ‎But‏ ‎how ‎much ‎of ‎this ‎research‏ ‎actually ‎translates‏ ‎into‏ ‎real-world ‎protection ‎against‏ ‎cyber ‎threats?‏ ‎It’s ‎like ‎buying ‎a‏ ‎fancy‏ ‎alarm ‎system‏ ‎but ‎forgetting‏ ‎to ‎lock ‎the ‎front ‎door.

📌Building‏ ‎Infrastructures:‏ ‎The ‎EU‏ ‎is ‎all‏ ‎about ‎building ‎robust ‎cybersecurity ‎infrastructures‏ ‎and‏ ‎promoting‏ ‎best ‎practices.‏ ‎Yet, ‎despite‏ ‎these ‎efforts,‏ ‎the‏ ‎digital ‎landscape‏ ‎remains ‎as ‎vulnerable ‎as ‎ever.‏ ‎It’s ‎like‏ ‎constructing‏ ‎a ‎fortress ‎with‏ ‎a ‎drawbridge‏ ‎that ‎never ‎quite ‎closes.

📌Supporting‏ ‎SMEs:‏ ‎The ‎EU‏ ‎has ‎initiatives‏ ‎like ‎CYSSME ‎to ‎help ‎small‏ ‎and‏ ‎medium-sized ‎enterprises‏ ‎(SMEs) ‎with‏ ‎their ‎cybersecurity ‎needs. ‎While ‎this‏ ‎is‏ ‎commendable,‏ ‎the ‎reality‏ ‎is ‎that‏ ‎many ‎SMEs‏ ‎still‏ ‎struggle ‎with‏ ‎basic ‎cybersecurity ‎measures. ‎It’s ‎like‏ ‎giving ‎a‏ ‎band-aid‏ ‎to ‎someone ‎with‏ ‎a ‎broken‏ ‎leg.

📌Grand ‎Plans, ‎Minimal ‎Impact:‏ ‎The‏ ‎EU’s ‎funding‏ ‎programs ‎are‏ ‎filled ‎with ‎grand ‎plans ‎and‏ ‎ambitious‏ ‎goals. ‎But‏ ‎when ‎it‏ ‎comes ‎to ‎actual ‎impact, ‎the‏ ‎results‏ ‎are‏ ‎underwhelming. ‎Cyberattacks‏ ‎continue ‎to‏ ‎rise, ‎and‏ ‎the‏ ‎EU’s ‎digital‏ ‎defenses ‎seem ‎perpetually ‎one ‎step‏ ‎behind ‎the‏ ‎attackers.

Conclusion

So,‏ ‎what ‎exactly ‎did‏ ‎the ‎EU‏ ‎do ‎to ‎prevent ‎these‏ ‎cyberattacks?‏ ‎They ‎threw‏ ‎a ‎lot‏ ‎of ‎money ‎at ‎the ‎problem,‏ ‎set‏ ‎up ‎numerous‏ ‎funding ‎programs,‏ ‎and ‎issued ‎a ‎slew ‎of‏ ‎press‏ ‎releases.‏ ‎And ‎how‏ ‎effective ‎are‏ ‎these ‎sanctions‏ ‎and‏ ‎funding ‎efforts‏ ‎in ‎stopping ‎cyberattacks? ‎Well, ‎let’s‏ ‎just ‎say‏ ‎the‏ ‎hackers ‎are ‎still‏ ‎laughing ‎all‏ ‎the ‎way ‎to ‎the‏ ‎(digital)‏ ‎bank. ‎But‏ ‎hey, ‎at‏ ‎least ‎the ‎EU ‎can ‎say‏ ‎they’re‏ ‎doing ‎something,‏ ‎right?