Why Do So Many Cyber Attacks Seem to Come from Europe?

Artificial Intelligence - Prompt by Leonard Jefferson
15 hours ago
3 min read

If you look at cybersecurity reports or news headlines, you may notice something surprising: many cyberattacks—especially Denial‑of‑Service (DDoS) attacks—appear to come from places like the Netherlands or other parts of Europe.

That raises a fair question:

Are these countries attacking us?

The answer is no.

What you are usually seeing is where internet systems are located, not who is behind the attack.

Let’s explain this in plain language.

What Is a DDoS Attack?

A DDoS attack is when attackers send too much traffic to a website or system so it stops working.

Think of it like this:

Too many fake cars flood a highway
Real traffic can’t move
The road looks “down,” even though nothing is broken

That is what a DDoS attack does online.It blocks access by overwhelming the system, not by breaking into it.

Why the Netherlands Shows Up So Often

The Netherlands is one of the world’s biggest internet hubs.

It is home to:

Some of the largest data centers in Europe
One of the world’s busiest internet exchange points (AMS‑IX)
Very fast, reliable global internet connections

Because of this, companies all over the world rent servers there.That includes businesses—but also cybercriminals.

So when an attack uses those servers, reports may say the traffic is coming from the Netherlands, even when the attackers are located somewhere else.

The Netherlands is the highway, not the driver.

Who Is Actually Using These Internet Hubs?

Based on law‑enforcement actions and threat‑intelligence reporting, there are four main groups that commonly use European hosting hubs.

1. Political Hacktivist Groups

Some groups launch cyberattacks for political reasons, not money.

Examples include pro‑Russian and Iran‑aligned hacktivist groups that target:

Government websites
Public services
Organizations tied to international conflicts

These groups:

Rely on volunteers and donations
Use rented servers instead of owning infrastructure
Prefer European hosting because it is fast and trusted

Dutch and European authorities have confirmed that several public‑sector DDoS attacks were carried out by foreign hacktivist groups using rented European servers, not by local actors.

2. Criminal Botnet Operators

Other attacks come from organized cybercrime groups.

These groups control large “botnets,” which are networks of hacked devices like:

Home routers
Security cameras
Smart TVs

These devices may be located all over the world.However, the control systems that send commands are often hosted in European data centers.

These criminals make money by:

Selling DDoS attacks
Extorting businesses
Renting out attack tools

This is one of the biggest sources of serious DDoS threats.

3. DDoS‑for‑Hire Services

Some attackers do not have technical skills at all.

Instead, they pay someone else to attack for them.

These services:

Sell attacks by the hour or by subscription
Advertise on underground forums
Use European servers to stay online longer

This has made cyberattacks cheaper and easier to launch.

4. Bulletproof Hosting Providers

A major reason Europe appears in attack data is bulletproof hosting.

These hosting providers:

Promise anonymity
Ignore abuse complaints
Often accept cryptocurrency only
Advertise to cybercriminals directly

Law enforcement in the Netherlands has seized hundreds of servers from these providers after linking them to:

DDoS botnets
Malware command systems
Ransomware operations

These providers are not the attackers themselves—but they enable attacks.

Are European Governments Supporting These Attacks?

No.

In fact, countries like the Netherlands are leaders in fighting cybercrime.

Dutch authorities:

Work closely with Europol and international partners
Regularly seize criminal servers
Coordinate large global takedowns of cybercrime infrastructure

The reason Europe shows up in cyberattack data is because its internet infrastructure is high‑quality and widely used, not because governments support attackers.

Why This Matters for Businesses

Understanding this difference matters.