Irish Workers Fear "Catastrophic" Cyber Attack as Scams Surge Across Ireland

A new survey has found that more than half of Irish employees believe the country is heading towards a major cybersecurity crisis in 2026, with four in five workers reporting they have already experienced a cyber incident at work in the past year.

The research, carried out by IT and cybersecurity firm Landmark Technologies and conducted by Censuswide in January 2026, surveyed 1,000 employees across the Republic of Ireland. The findings paint a stark picture of a workforce that feels increasingly exposed as cyber threats grow in speed and sophistication.

Nearly nine in ten respondents (87 per cent) cited AI-powered phishing attacks as a key concern for the year ahead, with the same proportion worried about cybercriminals using artificial intelligence to steal company data. Fears about ransomware attacks (85 per cent), AI-generated deepfake scams (83 per cent), and personal data being leaked or stolen (83 per cent) followed closely behind.

The survey also revealed that 61 per cent of workers believe Ireland is less prepared than other European countries to defend against cybersecurity threats.

Perhaps most concerning is that cyber attacks appear to have become routine in Irish workplaces. Eighty per cent of employees said they had personally experienced at least one cybersecurity incident at work over the past 12 months, with 43 per cent encountering multiple attacks. Looking ahead, half of all respondents expect their organisation to suffer a data breach in the coming year.

Human error remains a significant vulnerability. Sixty-one per cent of employees believe staff continue to pose the greatest security risk within their organisations, and the numbers back that up: one in eight workers (12 per cent) admitted to clicking on a malicious link or attachment without reporting it, while the same proportion said their organisation had confidential data stolen. Thirteen per cent reported that a senior leader had fallen victim to a phishing or cyber scam in the past year, and 12 per cent said a departing employee had taken sensitive information with them.

Ken Kelleher, Managing Director, Landmark Technologies:

"Irish workers are clearly fearful that a major cyber incident is not a question of if, but when. The fact that more than half expect a catastrophic event this year should be a wake-up call for all businesses and relevant stakeholders."

Kelleher added that businesses must strengthen their defences and improve employee awareness as technologies such as AI become more widely adopted by both defenders and attackers.

The warning comes as scam attempts targeting Irish households continue to rise. The Department of Social Protection issued an alert on 30 January warning the public about fraudulent text messages and emails purporting to be from "GOV IE," claiming recipients are eligible for a reduced electricity bill through a so-called "Emergency Benefit Scheme." The Department confirmed there is no such scheme in operation and urged anyone who receives such messages not to click on any links or share personal information. Officials noted particular concern that some people may confuse the scam with legitimate financial assistance available to those affected by Storm Chandra.

For anyone who suspects they have fallen victim to a scam, ComReg advises contacting your local Garda station and reporting the incident to your bank or service provider immediately.