What are hybrid attacks?

Hybrid attacks are targeted measures by state or state-supported actors that aim to destabilise societies, influence political decisions and weaken democratic structures – without openly using military force. They use a combination of disinformation, cyber attacks, economic pressure, influence on public debates and covert operations.

On this page, we explain the different forms of hybrid attacks and show how they work. The aim is to identify typical patterns and highlight what to look out for in everyday life, in the media and in the political arena. Hybrid attacks are often subtle – they are most effective when they are not recognised as such.

The information and materials provided here may be used explicitly for educational, awareness-raising and prevention purposes – for example in schools, in political education or in civil society work.