Munich Security Conference: Cyber Threats Top G7 Risk Index

Cyber Threats Remain Top Concern for G7 Nations for Second Year

G7 nations have identified cyber threats as their most significant security risk for the second consecutive year, according to the latest Munich Security Index (MSI) released during the opening of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

The annual report, produced by partner consultancy Kekst CNC, reveals that “cyber-attacks on their country” ranks as the primary concern among the G7 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US) in 2025. This concern outranked other significant threats including “economic or financial crisis” and “disinformation campaigns from enemies.”

This represents a remarkable shift in security priorities over recent years, with cyber threats having climbed dramatically from seventh place in 2022 and fourth place in 2021 to now maintaining the top position for a second year running.

The concern appears particularly acute in certain G7 members, with 75% of German respondents identifying cyber-attacks as one of their nation’s most serious risks, closely followed by the UK (74%) and Japan (70%).

While G7 nations remain focused on digital threats, the BICS grouping—comprising Brazil, China, India, and South Africa—has shifted its priorities. Among these nations, cyber-attacks have fallen to eighth place in 2025, down from fourth position in 2024. Instead, BICS nations now rank “climate change” as their most pressing concern, followed by “extreme weather and forest fires” and “rising inequality,” with disinformation ranking seventh.

This divergence in security priorities highlights the different threat landscapes facing developed and developing economies, with G7 nations increasingly concerned about their digital infrastructure and BICS nations more focused on environmental and social challenges.

The report also reveals a notable trend in how countries perceive overall risk levels. While most surveyed nations view threats as less severe compared to the previous year, this pattern reverses in the UK, US, and India, where threat perceptions have intensified.

The United States shows a particularly pronounced increase in anxiety about domestic risks. Americans reported growing fears regarding food shortages, democratic instability, widening inequality, financial crises, civil unrest, political violence, and escalating trade conflicts—concerns that largely reflect the nation’s internal economic and political landscape.

The comprehensive study behind these findings was based on representative samples of approximately 1,000 adults from each G7 and BICS nation, totaling 11,099 respondents. Kekst CNC conducted the polling between November 5 and 25, 2025, using established online panels and employing stratified quotas for gender, age, residency, formal education, and income to ensure representative sampling.

The methodology assessed each risk across five dimensions: severity, imminence, preparedness, trajectory, and overall importance. The final data was weighted to match demographic quotas precisely, with a margin of error of 3.1 percent.

The report’s authors noted some limitations to their findings, particularly regarding data collected from authoritarian states. “Polling in autocracies is always challenging, as respondents may not feel that they can freely express their views. The results from China should therefore be interpreted with caution,” they cautioned.

This persistent elevation of cybersecurity concerns among the world’s most advanced economies reflects the growing sophistication of digital threats and the increasing reliance on digital infrastructure across all sectors of society. As nations continue to digitize critical services and infrastructure, the potential impact of cyber disruptions becomes increasingly consequential for national security, economic stability, and public safety.