Austria Is Strengthening Its Defences Against russian Cyberattacks, Disinformation, and Espionage

Austria plans to draw on Finland’s experience to strengthen its own resilience to hybrid threats. During a working visit to Finland, Austria’s Minister for European and International Affairs Beate Meinl-Reisinger met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Elin Valtonen in Helsinki. The two sides discussed European security, continued support for Ukraine, and countering hybrid threats from russia, particularly cyberattacks, disinformation, and espionage.

Vienna views security as broader than military defence and is interested in Finland’s “comprehensive security” model. This model involves the simultaneous protection of democratic institutions, critical infrastructure, and social cohesion.

Following the visit, Vienna identified several areas where Finnish expertise could be applied:

improving cybersecurity for government agencies and critical infrastructure;

enhancing resilience to information influence. Vienna intends to shift from reacting to individual disinformation campaigns to systematic efforts to promote media literacy among the population;

stepping up efforts to counter the activities of foreign – first of all russian – intelligence services in Austria. The presence in Vienna of agencies of the UN, the OSCE, the IAEA, and other international organizations creates favorable conditions for foreign intelligence services to operate under diplomatic cover. According to Austria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, four diplomats linked to intelligence activities have been expelled from the country over the past 12 months, and the number of russian diplomatic personnel has decreased by 23% since 2022;

expanding criminal liability for espionage.

Adopting the Finnish model will allow Austria to modernize its national security system without formally renouncing its neutrality. The development of civilian defence mechanisms will enable Vienna to deepen practical cooperation with EU and NATO member states without raising the politically sensitive issue of changing its non-aligned status.

To slow down this process, russia will most likely conduct information campaigns, portraying the reforms as Vienna’s abandonment of neutrality and gradual subordination of its policies to NATO’s interests.