Romania’s digital crossroads: Cybersecurity strength and VPN rise

Romania is becoming a digital leader in Central and Eastern Europe, as its internet penetration rate stood at 76.8 percent in 2023, and its cybersecurity market has reached 194.22 million dollars as of this year. Nevertheless, behind these successes, there are difficulties, including increasing risks of cyber threats. Our team has delved into the possibility of how the high score of 76.29 indicates progress and gaps in Romania and how users can take better control of their online safety.

Romania’s Digital Landscape: A Hub of Connectivity

Romania has one of the fastest internet networks in the world, thanks to its highly advanced fiber-optic network. Romania led Central and Eastern Europe in data centers in 2023, with only Russia beating it, surprisingly. Romanians love the internet — an estimated 19 million people, or 76.8 percent of the country, are online — from ecommerce websites to streaming sites like Digi Online.

This level of activity promotes innovation but also brings threats. The Global Cybersecurity Index in 2023 placed Romania at 76.29, considering achievements such as the National Directorate for Cybersecurity’s (DNSC) efforts and the national strategy for 2022-2027. A high ranking does not, however, translate to total safety for all users. Most still do not know how to safeguard their data, so let us discuss that next.

Hidden Threats in an Interconnected World

The situation is only swirling, yet Romania is making the best of combating it with its cybersecurity equipment. Cyberattacks increased by 22 in 2022, with nearly one-third (35) being ransomware, a quarter (25) DDoS, and approximately 21 phishing. Approximately 6,000 hits were made by Trojan viruses, and more than 4,000 phishing attempts were made. The figures indicate that despite the formidable national security, small enterprises and common users are not free of danger.

Moreover, the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) was introduced in 2021, which expanded the surveillance opportunities even to the interception of encrypted data in the case of using outdated protocols. It merely goes to show that personal initiative is needed — reliance on government action alone is like shutting the front door but leaving the windows wide open.

The main dangers that Romanians have to contend with online are:

Phishing attacks: A message or email that dupes users into leaking their personal information; 
Ransomware viruses: Viruses that encrypt your computer unless you pay them; 
Data breach: Viruses that steal your personal or financial data.

Open Wi-Fi networks in cafes and other public places are particularly dangerous. Public networks are simple targets for hackers without the use of encryption. These risks pose a threat to everybody. But you can download a VPN to reduce them because it offers good encryption and anonymity.

Why VPNs Are Becoming Increasingly Popular in Romania

VPN (Virtual Private Network) is simply a private tunnel that ensures that all the traffic of your device remains unknown to anything that is not within the tunnel. On a VPN, your traffic is redirected through an encrypted server, meaning that your ISP, hackers, or even the government cannot spy on your actions.

VPNs are receiving much attention in Romania due to a number of reasons. To start with, they secure you when using common Wi-Fi. Second, they assist you in bypassing geo-blocks, and thus you can watch something that is blocked at school or the workplace, or simply because the content is not available in your area. And third, they conceal your actual IP address and provide you with additional privacy.

The following are the primary reasons VPNs are becoming more popular, with ExpressVPN being used as an example:

VPN installation is quite simple and includes only three steps:

Sign up on the platform, choosing a suitable plan;
Download an app on your device — installation won’t take more than a few minutes;
Connect to a server by choosing the most suitable location.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to choose a VPN with a solid reputation, especially in the context of increasing attacks on small businesses, when data leakage can lead to financial damage.

How VPN Works

When you launch a VPN client, it establishes an encrypted tunnel (typically with protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, or IKEv2/IPSec) between your device and a remote VPN server. Such a tunnel is called a connection and encrypts all network traffic between you and the internet. Here’s how it works step by step:

Authentication and Tunnel Setup

The VPN client connects to the server, authenticates (using keys or certificates), and builds a secure tunnel using cryptographic algorithms such as AES-256.

Traffic Routing

Once the tunnel is established, all outgoing traffic is routed through the VPN interface. That is, data packets first go to the VPN server before going out to the internet. The server replaces your IP address with its own.

Encryption and Protection

Data is encrypted before transmission, making it unreadable to third parties — whether your internet service provider, a hacker on a public network, or even governments. The data is decrypted and forwarded to the server.

Return Path

Website responses are sent to the VPN server, which encrypts and sends them back along the tunnel to your device.

Final Thoughts: Empowering Romania’s Digital Future

As much as Romania’s placement on the Global Cybersecurity Index is a point of pride, true security is a matter of individual action. With cyber threats on the rise and online activity expanding, VPNs have become the mark of internet use responsibility. Don’t neglect your own internet security — obtain a VPN and sleep tight.

*This is partner content.