Global Cyber-Risk Analysis
A new report on the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI) for 2025 has been released, ranking countries on their preparedness to prevent cyber threats and manage incidents. This index measures legal acts, official documents, and national strategies, not a country’s immunity from attack.
The top-ranked nations are:
- Czechia (Score: 98.33)
- Canada (Score: 96.67)
- Estonia (Score: 96.67)
- Finland (Score: 95.83)
- Belgium (Score: 94.17)
- Romania (Score: 94.17)
- Slovakia (Score: 94.17)
This ranking provides a critical insight: a high “preparedness” score does not mean a country is safe. In fact, it often means the country is a high-value target and has been forced to build strong defenses in response to constant attacks.
- Case Study 1: Canada (#2) Canada’s high rank comes as it is reacting to a catastrophic 2025. The country has been hammered by mass-exploitation campaigns (like the Clop Oracle Zero-Day) and a surge in attacks on its infrastructure. Its high score is bolstered by the new, aggressive “Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act” (Bill C-8), which was introduced in June 2025 because of these attacks.
- Case Study 2: Finland (#4) & Estonia (#3) These nations are long-time leaders, forced to build “whole-of-society” cyber defenses due to their geopolitical position. Their high ranks are a direct reflection of the persistent, high-level threat they face from state-sponsored APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats).
- Case Study 3: Romania (#6) Romania highlights the gap between policy and reality. While it ranks #6 for preparedness on the NCSI, other 2025 reports have ranked it as one of the most impacted countries globally for cyberattacks. This proves that a good plan on paper is not enough to stop a high-volume onslaught.
Key Cybersecurity Insights
This index provides a strategic, board-level view of the global threat landscape:
- Preparedness vs. Reality: A high NCSI rank (like Canada’s) does not mean a country is safe; it means it has the policies to respond. 2025 has been a brutal year for top-ranked nations, proving policy must be matched by execution.
- Geopolitics Drives Risk: The high rankings of Finland and Estonia are a direct result of their geopolitical alignment and the constant threat from state-sponsored APTs.
- Legislation as a Defense: Canada’s #2 rank is bolstered by its new, aggressive legislation (Bill C-8), which imposes mandatory reporting. This signals a global trend of holding critical infrastructure legally accountable.
- The “Impact” vs. “Policy” Gap: The case of Romania (#6 in policy, but highly impacted in reality) shows that many nations have strong frameworks but are still overwhelmed by the volume of attacks.
Mitigation Strategies
For businesses, these rankings are a critical tool for threat modeling:
- Go Beyond National Compliance: Do not assume you are safe just because you operate in a “top-ranked” country. The data shows these are the biggest targets. Your compliance with local laws (like NIS2 in the EU or Bill C-8 in Canada) is the absolute baseline, not the end goal.
- Adopt a “Resilience” Stance: Emulate Estonia. Assume a breach is inevitable. Focus on rapid incident response, immutable backups, and business continuity, not just prevention.
- Monitor Geopolitical Threats: If you operate in a high-risk or high-preparedness country (like Finland, Estonia, or Canada), your threat model must include state-sponsored APTs, not just criminal ransomware.
- Proactive Threat Intelligence: The NCSI is a lagging indicator of policy. Businesses need real-time threat intelligence to understand the active campaigns targeting their sector, regardless of their national rank.
Secure Your Business with Brinztech — Global Cybersecurity Solutions Brinztech protects organizations worldwide from evolving cyber threats. Whether you’re a startup or a global enterprise, our expert solutions keep your digital assets safe and your operations running smoothly.
Questions or Feedback? For expert advice, use our ‘Ask an Analyst’ feature. Brinztech does not warrant the validity of external claims. For general inquiries or to report this post, please email us: contact@brinztech.com
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