#security question

Foreign intelligence services are now routinely attacking Irish-based technology, financial services, aviation leasing and cybersecurity companies. That’s according to a new report by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) and Deloitte Ireland. The report draws on interviews with senior officials and roundtables with leaders across critical sectors. Its location on the edge of Europe makes Ireland a “focal point on its risk map”, the report says. Ireland hosts over 30% of EU data making it a prime target for hybrid activity. Three quarters of Northern Hemisphere subsea cables run through or near Irish waters, linking global financial markets and cloud services. Almost 90% of Irish companies have already suffered financial loss or operational disruption due to cyberattacks, with many now dealing with certain state-backed activity, not just cybercrime. During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent visit to Ireland, several unidentified drones that were not for civilian use entered a no-fly zone. There was also an increase in suspicious shipping movements. These incidents, the report says, highlight Ireland’s exposure and vulnerability, as the country prepares to take over the EU Presidency next summer. There are concerns that events around the presidency, particularly a high level summit of leaders in Ireland next year, could be exposed due to a lack of Irish capability.