The PathWiper malware is a newly identified data wiper malware that reportedly disrupted Ukrainian critical infrastructure in an attack occurring in 2025. Data wiper malware is designed to irreversibly delete or corrupt data on infected systems, rendering them unusable and causing significant operational disruption. Although specific technical details such as infection vectors, propagation methods, or targeted systems are not provided, the critical severity classification and the targeting of critical infrastructure suggest a sophisticated attack aimed at causing maximum damage to essential services. Data wipers typically overwrite or erase data at the file system or disk level, often bypassing recovery mechanisms, which can lead to prolonged outages and require extensive recovery efforts. The attack on Ukrainian critical infrastructure aligns with a pattern of cyberattacks targeting national infrastructure to cause disruption and potentially influence geopolitical situations. The lack of known exploits in the wild and minimal discussion on Reddit indicates this is a newly emerging threat with limited public technical analysis available. However, the critical impact on infrastructure highlights the urgency for organizations to understand and prepare for such threats.

For European organizations, especially those involved in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, transportation, healthcare, and government services, the emergence of PathWiper represents a significant risk. Given the interconnected nature of European critical infrastructure and the geopolitical proximity to Ukraine, there is an increased likelihood of spillover or targeted attacks using similar malware strains. The impact includes potential loss of data integrity and availability, operational downtime, financial losses, and reputational damage. Disruption of critical services could affect millions of citizens and have cascading effects on economic stability and public safety. Furthermore, the use of data wiper malware complicates recovery efforts, as data restoration may require extensive backups and incident response capabilities. European organizations must be vigilant against similar threats that could exploit vulnerabilities in their systems or supply chains.

1. Implement robust and frequent offline and immutable backups to ensure data can be restored in the event of a wiper attack. 2. Employ advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying suspicious behaviors indicative of data wiping activities, such as mass file deletion or overwriting. 3. Harden critical infrastructure systems by applying strict access controls, network segmentation, and minimizing attack surfaces, especially for systems exposed to external networks. 4. Conduct regular threat hunting and monitoring for indicators of compromise related to data wiper malware, even if specific indicators for PathWiper are not yet available. 5. Develop and regularly test incident response and disaster recovery plans tailored to data destruction scenarios. 6. Collaborate with national cybersecurity agencies and information sharing organizations to receive timely threat intelligence updates. 7. Educate staff on phishing and social engineering tactics that may be used as initial infection vectors. 8. Ensure all systems and software are up to date with security patches to reduce exploitation opportunities.