Cyber attacks are on the rise in Switzerland and there is a reason why criminals consider the country a valuable target.
Since April 2025, operators of critical infrastructure in Switzerland – that is, organisations whose failure would severely impact the economy or population – have been required to report cyber attacks to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), within 24 hours of occurrence.
Since then, the NCSC has received 325 reports, mostly from the public administration sector, including the federal government (25 percent), companies in the IT and telecommunications sector (18 percent), as well as banks and insurance companies (15.7 percent).
During this time, the most common types of cyber attacks, according to the NCSC, were hacking incidents (20 percent) and DDoS attacks (attempts to disrupt a website or server ) – 16 percent.
They are followed by the theft of access credentials (12 percent), malware (10 percent), data filtration (10 percent), and ransomware (9 percent).
In many cases, the perpetrators exploit Swiss-specific features – for example by using well-known loyalty programmes run by major retailers as a pretext. “From summer 2025 onwards, ‘SMS blasters’ were also observed in Switzerland for the first time. These devices simulate mobile network antennas, enabling attackers to bypass the filtering systems used by telecommunications providers and send malicious text messages directly to nearby mobile phones.”
Why do cyber criminals target Switzerland?
In fact, they target other countries as well, so cyber crime is a global phenomenon.
However, according to Nicolas Mayencourt, founder and CEO of a cyber security firm Dreamlab Technologies, “Switzerland remains a prime target for cyber criminals.”
The reason is that “Switzerland boasts prominent pharmaceutical and electronic industries, and is one of the world’s primary financial hubs,” he said. “And we are practically the global leader in commodities trading .”
All of these industries – combined or separate – make the country an attractive target for cyber criminals.
But there is another reason as well
In its report on cyber crime in Switzerland, AXA insurance said that the country’s wealth is also a magnet to cyber criminals.
“The high standard of living means that Swiss residents and local companies are viewed as capable of paying significant ransoms,” the report said.
