Geopolitics, including the war in Ukraine, led to more devastating and widespread cyber attacks in July, EU cybersecurity agency ENISA ENISA reported.

The ENISA study reflects concerns about the role of state actors and the growing range of threats to governments, companies and key sectors such as energy, transportation, banking and digital infrastructure.

The agency said the geopolitical situation, particularly the war in Ukraine, changed the rules of the game in the period under review, Reuters reported.

Zero-day exploits by hackers, as well as artificial intelligence misinformation and dipfakes, have led to more malicious and widespread attacks with a more devastating impact, the report said.

The report said about 24 percent of cyber attacks targeted government and public administration and 13 percent targeted digital service providers.

In May, the European Union agreed to stricter cybersecurity rules for key sectors, with companies having to assess their risks, notify authorities and take corrective action or face fines of up to 2 percent of global turnover.