Ransomware in Greece 2025: who is being targeted and what you can do about it

Greek SMEs and public sector organisations are increasingly in the crosshairs. Here’s what the threat landscape actually looks like — and a practical response checklist.

The threat is local, not just global

Ransomware is no longer a problem that only affects large multinationals. Greek small and medium businesses, hospitals, municipal authorities, and law firms have all been hit in recent years — often without making national headlines. The attackers don’t discriminate by size; they discriminate by vulnerability.

Common attack vectors in Greek organisations

• Phishing emails targeting employees with fake invoices, delivery notifications, or HR communications in Greek.
• Exposed RDP ports — a chronic problem in Greek SMEs that moved to remote work quickly during COVID and never locked things down properly.
• Unpatched systems — legacy Windows Server installations, unpatched firewalls, and end-of-life NAS devices are common entry points.
• Weak or reused credentials — especially on VPN and remote desktop services without MFA.

A practical checklist for Greek IT teams

• Enable MFA on all remote access points — VPN, RDP, webmail, and admin panels.
• Audit exposed services: scan your public IP with Shodan and close anything that shouldn’t be public-facing.
• Implement the 3-2-1 backup rule: 3 copies, 2 different media, 1 offsite (or offline).
• Train staff on phishing — one simulated phishing campaign per quarter makes a measurable difference.
• Patch aggressively: prioritise internet-facing systems and anything with known critical CVEs.

None of this is glamorous. But it’s far less expensive than paying a ransom — or explaining a breach to your clients.