Cybersecurity threats continue to put European organisations of all sizes at risk. Infosec leaders face multi-pronged challenges, from mitigating the threats themselves to managing the budget for vital cybersecurity training.
To investigate this issue further, KnowBe4 commissioned a study of 101 cybersecurity leaders across Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Sweden to determine key challenges.
Learn some key statistics highlighted from the original data below:
![[INFOGRAPHIC] Original Research: Challenges Faced by European Infosec Leaders](https://blog.knowbe4.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Benelux-Cybersecurity-Challenges-Infographic-PNG_EN-GB.png?width=581&height=820&name=Benelux-Cybersecurity-Challenges-Infographic-PNG_EN-GB.png)
Click here to download the full infographic (PDF).
Phishing and Breaches Top Key Challenges
The majority of cybersecurity professionals reported cyber attacks had impacted their European locations.*
- Phishing: 74%
- Malware: 52%
- Denial of Service: 46%
- Social Engineering: 44%
- Password Attacks: 43%
Two-thirds of cybersecurity professionals indicated that a lack of cybersecurity awareness and training for their employees is a top challenge today.*
- Data breaches and privacy concerns: 69%
- Lack of cybersecurity awareness training for employees: 67%
- Vulnerabilities in third-party systems: 59%
- Compliance and regulatory requirements related to cybersecurity: 58%
- Balancing security and user experience: 50%
Security Awareness Training: How Much and What Organisations Want
Average amount European organisations spend on security awareness training annually: € 93,160 ($99,656, £78,075)
Phishing and overall security awareness were the top cybersecurity topics of greatest importance to train employees on.*
- Phishing: 75%
- Security Awareness: 55%
- Security Culture: 39%
- Social Engineering: 38%
- Ransomware: 31%
*Percentages will equal more than 100% because respondents could choose up to three options
