The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) marks its 10th anniversary this year, a decade that saw Belgium evolve from fragmented beginnings into one of Europe’s most cyber-resilient countries.
What began in 2014 as a royal decree and a two-person team has grown into a dynamic organisation of nearly 140 experts coordinating Belgium’s cybersecurity policy, prevention, and crisis response. Today, the CCB stands as a trusted national authority and an international benchmark for active cyber protection.
“In just ten years, Belgium has gone from reactive to resilient,” says Miguel De Bruycker, Director General of the CCB. “Our goal has never been to chase threats, but to stay one step ahead, to make Belgium one of the safest digital environments in Europe.”
A decade of progress and impact
From the early integration of CERT.be and Safeonweb to the introduction of the Early Warning System, BePhish, and the Belgian Anti-Phishing Shield (BAPS), the CCB has transformed the way Belgium detects, prevents, and responds to cyber incidents.
Through innovative platforms like Safeonweb@Work and the CyberFundamentals Framework, thousands of Belgian organisations now have practical tools to assess and strengthen their digital defences. With the rollout of NIS2, the CCB also takes a leading role in implementing Europe’s most ambitious cybersecurity legislation.
From crisis to coordination
The CCB’s proactive, service-oriented model has proven its strength in the face of real-world crises, from the 2016 terror attacks and the global NotPetya incident to the conflict in Ukraine. Its partnerships across government, business, and academia have turned Belgium’s cybersecurity ecosystem into a European model of cooperation and trust.
“Cybersecurity is not just technology, it’s people, partnerships, and perseverance,” adds Phédra Clouner, Deputy Director General. “Together, we’ve built a community that protects, informs, and empowers every citizen and company.”
Belgium: a European role model
Today, Belgium ranks among the top 10 countries worldwide in international cybersecurity indexes. Under the CCB’s leadership, the country has chaired multiple European networks, co-led the development of the NIS2 Reglementation and the Cyber Solidarity Act, and introduced the Active Cyber Protection (ACP) model, a visionary framework now recognised across the EU as best practice.
Looking ahead
As AI, quantum technology, and geopolitics reshape the digital landscape, the CCB remains committed to its mission: ensuring a safe, open, and trusted cyberspace for everyone in Belgium.
“Our ambition is clear,” says De Bruycker. “Together, we can make Belgium the safest digital country in Europe, not by standing still, but by leading the way.”
Remarkable results in numbers
Over the past decade, CCB’s initiatives have produced concrete, measurable results:
- 140 experts now safeguard Belgium’s digital environment, up from just 2 pioneers in 2014.
- 78% of Belgians recognise Safeonweb.be as the national reference for online security.
- 43% of citizens have already reported a suspicious email or text via suspicious@safeonweb.be.
- The CCB processes over 9 million citizen reports per year through the Safeonweb system.
- The Belgian Anti-Phishing Shield (BAPS) redirects users from fraudulent websites 240 million times a year, blocking scams within minutes instead of days.
- The Early Warning System (EWS) issues tens of thousands of targeted spear warnings annually to critical sectors.
- Belgium ranks among the top 10 countries globally in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index and the EU Cybersecurity Index, scoring 96.81/100 in 2024.
- The CCB’s awareness campaigns reach millions of citizens each year and have won two European Cybersecurity Awards for best awareness video (2022 and 2024).
A brochure has been published to mark this occasion.