A cyber-attack on critical structure such as phone networks or power supplies is a concern for a high number of people in Denmark, according to an analysis by the institute Analyse Danmark on behalf of the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA).

In the survey of 2,000 people, around seven in ten said that, to either “some”, “high” or “very high” extent, a concerned by a cyber-attack by foreign actors on mobile or internet connections, endangering things like heating and electricity.

In June, the Danish Emergency Management Service (Beredsskabstyrelsen, DEMA) on June 15th issued advice for the general public to have certain supplies at home so that they are prepared in the event of a crisis. This can mean natural events like extreme weather or human acts like cyber attacks or sabotage, DEMA said.

Around one in four have since ensured they comply with the guidelines.

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Electricity and internet are obvious targets for hackers to attempt to disrupt, IDA’s expert in IT security, Jørn Guldberg, said in a press release.

“Denmark is one of the most digitalised countries in the world and much of our critical infrastructure will therefore be an obvious target. This means we should always be a step ahead of the hackers and that we must protect ourselves better than we do today,” he said.

“In contrast to the attacks in which criminals try to earn money in some way, these destructive attacks only have the intention of destruction,” he explained.

“For example, data or software could be the target,” he said.

In the survey of 2,048 Danes aged 18-70, participants were asked whether they had become more concerned about the security of national infrastructure as a result of the situation in Ukraine, which has been defending itself against a Russian invasion since February 2022.

Some 69 percent in total said they were concerned about Denmark’s digital infrastructure to either “some”, “high” or “very high” extent, while 71 percent in total said the same about energy supplies including electricity and heating.

“If the internet was hit, there would be big consequences for all of us. It could paralyse a digital country like Denmark badly and more or less cause chaos in most people’s lives,” he said.

Authorities in June raised the threat level for destructive cyber-attacks against Denmark from “low” to “medium”.

Peter Viggo Jakobsen, Associate Professor at the Royal Danish Defence College told The Local last month that a breakdown of the electrical grid “is a worst case scenario and something we’ve looked at before and something the authorities are all well aware of and trying to do something to prevent.”

“And if it should happen, they would do what they can to reestablish power as soon as possible,” he said.

“”But the probability of a complete blackout across Denmark is very remote and not something for people to worry about,” he also said.