Mastercard Europe brings multi-sector cyber defense exercise to Europe for the first time

Cross-sector teams from BT Group, Deutsche Bank, ING, Proximus and Santander join Mastercard’s European Cyber Resilience Centre in Belgium to test evolving cyber threats in real time.

Today, Mastercard is hosting the first European edition of its multi-sector Cyber Defense Exercise (CDX) at the European Cyber Resilience Centre, located at the company’s European headquarters in Waterloo, Belgium. The hands-on event brings together technical teams and senior leaders from the finance and telecommunications sectors for a force-on-force, real-time exercise that mirrors a sophisticated, complex cyber-attack.

CDX is a dynamic exercise, where red and blue teams go head-to-head to test how organisations respond to complex, coordinated cyber threats, both technically and strategically. Red teams will go on the offense, executing evolving attack paths, from supply-chain compromise and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) to credential theft and data exfiltration. Meanwhile, Blue teams collaborate in real time to detect, triage and respond. Simultaneously, executive leaders will manage crisis governance, legal and regulatory engagement, and strategic communications to determine whether the cyber event remains an incident or becomes a public crisis.

Participants include cybersecurity leaders from BT Group, Deutsche Bank, ING, Proximus and Santander, alongside public-sector partners and Information Sharing and Analysis Centres (ISACs), who navigate the attack scenarios, coordinate responses in real time and pressure-test playbooks- including a cyber-themed escape room designed to reinforce teamwork and cross-functional problem-solving.

Cyber threats in Europe are intensifying, and businesses of all sizes are feeling the pressure. Mastercard’s research reveals that 1 in 4 European small business owners have been targeted by scammers, with many fearing closure after an attack. As for European consumers, 72% say they’re more concerned about cybersecurity risks impacting their life than they were two years ago. CDX addresses this by building scalable, repeatable models for cyber collaboration that can be deployed across industries and geographies.

Led by the private sector and powered by partnership, CDX showcases how industry can take the lead in strengthening global cyber defenses. The simulated environment is supported by Dell Technologies, Fortinet, Intel, World Wide Technology (WWT), and Immersive Labs, demonstrating the strength of public-private collaboration in protecting critical infrastructure.

Consumers trust financial institutions to protect them: 71% trust banks and 61% trust credit card companies more than government institutions (58%) when it comes to fraud prevention.

“Cyber threats don’t respect borders or sectors. Our priority is working together with partners across Europe to respond when seconds matter- sharing intelligence faster, making smarter decisions and safeguarding people and businesses. CDX is about deepening collaboration, strengthening trust, and building resilience for Europe to stay protected,” said Michael Lashlee, Chief Security Officer, Mastercard.

Rich Eyre, Cyber Security Operations and Intelligence Director, BT Group said: "Secure telecommunications are the backbone of our modern society. They enable seamless communication, foster innovation, and ensure the safety and security of our customers. At BT Group, we are committed to protecting these vital connections to keep our customers and society safe. By partnering with like-minded organizations, we can pool our expertise to combat threats more effectively, ensuring a safer future for everyone."

“It’s critical that we remain vigilant against the many threats that exist to information security. By working together with peers and coordinating our responses, we can greatly enhance our ability to prevent and respond to potential cyber-attacks. Information security remains a moving target and exercises such as this help to ensure that we too keep moving,” said Brent Phillips, Chief Security Officer, Deutsche Bank.

"Cyber threats don’t respect borders, and neither should our response. At ING, we’re all about staying one step ahead. Therefore, cyber security is a vital part of our corporate strategy. Participating in joint incident response exercises with other leading European organisations strengthens our collective resilience, fosters trust, and ensures we’re prepared to act swiftly and collaboratively when it matters most." said Debbie Janeczek, Global CISO, ING.

“At Proximus, we see cybersecurity as a societal responsibility. Our role as a trusted digital partner means protecting the digital infrastructure that people, businesses, and public services rely on every day. CDX is a valuable opportunity to strengthen our collective resilience, transcending borders and sectors, and to enhance our preparedness in the face of evolving threats. By partnering with organizations that share our vision for a safe digital future, we reaffirm our commitment to building trust and creating a secure and resilient digital society,” said Fabrice Clément, Chief Information Security Officer, Proximus.

Hazel Díez, Global Chief Information Security Officer, Cybersecurity and Fraud Prevention, Banco Santander, said: “As a global financial institution, anticipating cyber risks is essential to protecting our customers, markets and society at large. At Santander, we are committed to working with peers, strengthening our defenses and responding swiftly to ensure resilience and trust remain at the core of what we do. CDX 2025 was a great opportunity to test and strengthen Europe’s cross-sector collaboration.”

Survey Methodology

1- The study was commissioned by Mastercard, with fieldwork conducted by independent research agency, Opinium. Between 16th December 2024 - 3rd January 2025, an online quantitative survey was carried out across 18 countries in Europe. It included: The survey was of 1,830 SME business founders aged 18+ who founded companies with fewer than 250 employees.The full list of countries surveyed: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK.

2- The study was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Mastercard from September 8 to September 25, 2025, among 13,077 consumers 18+ in the following markets: EUR: France (n=1,005), Germany (n=1,002), Italy (n=1,016), Spain (n=1,005), UK (n=1,004).