Cyprus urged to strengthen cyber defences as AI threats accelerate

Cyprus already has a relatively demanding framework for reporting cyber incidents, with a 6-hour early warning deadline and a fuller notification requirement within 72 hours , but the country must ensure its institutions can respond effectively as artificial intelligence accelerates cyber threats, according to a new report by the Digital Cooperation Organisation ( DCO ). The findings appear in the organisation’s September 2026 edition of DCO Policy Watch , titled ‘ Resilience at Machine Speed: National Cyber Defense in the Age of AI ‘, which examines how governments can strengthen their defences against increasingly automated attacks and prepare for the eventual transition to quantum-resistant cryptography.

The report places Cyprus among jurisdictions with a defined incident-reporting interval in force, noting that its Article 35B requirements establish a tighter initial reporting timeframe than the default under the European Union’s NIS2 Directive . However, it cautions that having a deadline does not automatically mean a country can respond effectively, with the resources, staffing and operational capabilities behind the rules ultimately determining their value. For Cyprus, the broader lesson is that existing reporting requirements should form part of a comprehensive national strategy that connects early warnings to effective incident response, investment in defensive artificial intelligence and preparation for future cryptographic risks. The report argues that cyber resilience is not simply a level of protection a government purchases, but the ability to detect an intrusion, contain it, maintain essential services and recover afterwards. That capacity must be built, staffed and tested before an attack occurs. The urgency is increasing. CrowdStrike’s observations of…