Norway’s National Security Authority (NSM) has raised the country’s cyber risk level to “high,” the second-highest level on its scale, citing the deteriorating security situation and events in recent months.

Announcing the decision at a news conference on Tuesday, NSM Director Arne Christian Haugstoyl urged Norwegian businesses to strengthen their digital defenses and address known software vulnerabilities immediately.

The authority warned that the rapid development of artificial intelligence is enabling threat actors to identify and exploit security weaknesses much more efficiently.

“Businesses therefore have hours, not days or weeks, to close known vulnerabilities,” Haugstoyl said.

In a press release, NSM called on Norwegian companies to implement preventive security measures without delay and published a list of 21 recommended actions applicable to businesses across the country.

Justice and Emergency Preparedness Minister Astri Aas-Hansen also urged companies to assess their IT security and rapidly address vulnerabilities, broadcaster NRK reported.

According to Haugstoyl, successful cyber operations targeting Norwegian businesses have tripled over the past year, with several incidents resulting in serious consequences.

One publicly known case involved the municipality of Lorenskog, where a large amount of data was stolen in a breach. The stolen information was subsequently sold on the dark web.

The elevated risk assessment underscores growing concerns about cyber threat actors' ability to exploit digital vulnerabilities, particularly as artificial intelligence accelerates their capabilities.