The government has announced plans to strengthen the preparedness for cyberattacks at the country’s energy supply companies in light of an increasing threat. According to Minister of Climate, Energy, and Utilities Lars Aagaard, 203 smaller supply companies in the energy sector will now be required to have an emergency plan to be prepared for potential attacks. Previously, only 84 companies were under regular supervision, but this will now be expanded to include 177 companies. The minister emphasized to Berlingske the importance of this initiative, saying, “Worst case scenario is darkness and cold. We should not scare the Danish people, but we are in a situation where the threat level is rising. This does not mean that we expect our lights and heat to be turned off tomorrow – after all, we don’t – but we need to ensure that we have resilience if it happens.” The threat level for destructive cyberattacks against Denmark has recently been raised from low to medium. At a press conference on June 4 with Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen, it was announced that in the coming period, citizens will be given guidance on how to prepare for potential attacks on supply chains. Thomas Flarup, head of the Center for Cyber Security, also participated in the press conference and explained that destructive cyberattacks are designed to cause havoc by destroying things or systems, which can have serious consequences. He pointed out that the attacks are not expected to target citizens, but critical infrastructure, especially from the Russian side. “We assess that this willingness to take risks will also be reflected in destructive cyberattacks,” said Flarup. This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s resilience against growing cyber threats and ensuring that energy supply remains stable and secure for all citizens.

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