Albania tops National Cyber Security Index

Albania has ranked first globally in the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI), scoring 98.33 points, Prime Minister Edi Rama said, hailing the result as a “historic success”.

The government head said Albania has transformed its cyber-defence capabilities since a major cyberattack in July 2022 that the government blamed on Iran, CE Report quotes ATA.

“From being the target of one of the most serious cyberattacks against a NATO member, Albania is today at the forefront of the world in developing national cyber security capabilities,” Rama said in a statement.

Albania was hit by a major cyberattack on July 15, 2022, which disrupted access to several government online services. Rama said the attack had exposed weaknesses in the country’s cyber defences but had prompted a major overhaul of its security infrastructure.

In his statement, PM Rama said Albania rose to 54th place in the NCSI in 2023 after beginning to build a new cyber-defence architecture and strengthening professional capabilities at its newly established cyber security agency.

It climbed to 15th place in 2025 following the development of the new defence architecture in close cooperation with Israeli partners, he added.

“Today, Albania is at the top of the global ranking for the development of national cyber security capabilities,” Rama said.

He said the government has invested in advanced technology, institutional capacity and specialised expertise, while shifting from a reactive approach to one focused on preventing cyber threats.

Rama also highlighted the use of artificial intelligence in Albania’s cyber-defence system, describing it as the first proactive AI model incorporated into a cyber-security defence architecture in Europe.

He said cyberattacks attributed to Iran and other actors had continued, but that Albania had successfully prevented them from causing significant disruption.

Rama said the country’s progress also demonstrated the importance of international partnerships in strengthening cyber resilience.

“The Tehran regime wanted to show us how weak we were. In fact, it forced us to become the power we are today in protecting Digital Albania,” he said.

Rama cautioned that the country could not afford to become complacent, saying cyber-defence capabilities needed to be expanded further, including across the private sector.

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