Europe tops the charts in digital security – but the UK might be quickly falling behind, says Surfshark

• All leading countries in digital security are based in Europe
• The UK has lost ground in cybersecurity
• Surfshark says developments in AI are essential

Do you think your data is just as safe, no matter your country? Then you may want a rethink, with Europe now definitively at the forefront of digital security, and the UK losing ground.

The data comes from Surshark, which recently released its Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) 2025. The creator of one of the best VPNs examined 121 countries, using sources including open-source data from the United Nations and the World Bank to assess five pillars: internet quality, internet affordability, digital security, digital infrastructure, and AI.

While it's good to see European countries leading in digital security, the findings show the UK lagging behind as these nations have improved even more significantly – and the gap could deepen even further in the next year. If you're looking to strengthen your level of protection, then Surfshark's Black Friday VPN deal can help you get ready for the fallout.

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Where are you safer online?

In the Index, digital security is defined as the level of security that people experience online, reflecting a country's preparedness to combat cybercrime and its commitment to protecting online privacy. The findings reveal that all of the countries at the top of the digital security ranking are located in Europe.

Even better, Estonia, Germany, France, and Finland also feature in the top 10 countries leading the rankings in terms of digital sovereignty, with Finland in first place for maintaining the best digital quality of life in the world.

"Finland, like many other European countries, uses GDPR, which offers the highest standard of data protection," Emilija Kucinskaite, Senior Researcher at Surfshark, tells TechRadar.

However, the UK has a whole different story. While it also scored highly on data protection, its cybersecurity pillar ranked 39th globally, suggesting significant gaps and revealing signs of a sharp decline since 2024, when its cybersecurity capabilities ranked 6th.

The UK has also lost ground in the global DQL index, now ranking 18th, behind countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and South Korea.

Although the sharp shift may sound alarming, Kucinskaite reassures that the data must be put into context and that the UK is improving in all areas, but not at the same pace as other countries that have progressed more significantly.

However, Kucinskaite warns that if the UK's rate of improvement lags behind that of other nations, its scores could fall further in the following year.

From a global perspective, it’s interesting to note that Europe exhibits the least disparity in digital security scores, with the top-ranked country, Czechia, achieving a score 2.5 times greater than Belarus, which is at the bottom of the regional ranking.

Meanwhile, Asia experiences the largest disparity in digital security, with the top country's (South Korea) score being 23 times higher than that of the bottom country (Yemen).

The AI factor

While the UK may struggle to keep pace with the faster digital progress of other countries, the data shows that the UK is advancing rapidly in the field of AI, ranking 4th in the league table.

As a leader in AI, the UK is an attractive destination for investment in the sector and is demonstrating a readiness to integrate AI into public services, which also means further strengthening its cybersecurity capabilities.

Additionally, Kucinskaite notes that the UK offers a particularly advantageous combination in digital security, being at the forefront of AI while also offering the highest level of data protection, which suggests good resilience against possible cyber threats.

"However, as many nations are now increasing their investment in AI, the UK must maintain its current competitive position," stresses Kucinskaite.

Unsurprisingly, the US positions itself as the global leader in digital infrastructure and AI development, followed by Singapore and South Korea. Here, AI is where Europe lags alarmingly behind.

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