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Key people at APWG.eu.
APWG.eu is a non-profit research foundation and cybersecurity coalition based in Barcelona, Spain, that coordinates the European response to cybercrime, phishing, and electronic fraud through data exchange and policy development. The organization facilitates collaboration among industry leaders, government entities, law enforcement agencies, and academic institutions, funding its operations through corporate membership fees, event sponsorships, and European Union research grants. While specific financial metrics for the European entity remain undisclosed, the broader global network encompasses thousands of member organizations and processes hundreds of millions of cyber threat records per month through its data clearinghouse. The coalition works closely with prominent technology and financial entities, featuring steering committee members and collaborators such as Microsoft, RSA Security, Verisign, PayPal, and Europol. The European chapter was established in 2013 as a joint initiative founded by the global Anti-Phishing Working Group and CaixaBank.
Key people at APWG.eu.
APWG.eu is not a company but the European chapter of the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), established in 2013 as a non-profit research foundation in Barcelona, Spain. It operates as an industry association to unify the global response to cybercrime, including phishing, across industry, government, law enforcement, and NGOs, with over 2,000 worldwide collaborators. APWG.eu focuses on research in cybercrime investigation and user awareness, managing data clearinghouses, statistical reports like quarterly phishing trends, and collaborative governance through a Board of Trustees (with members from CaixaBank and APWG), an Advisory Board, and a Scientific Committee.[1][2][4][5]
Its mission aligns with the parent APWG's charter to provide data, tools, standards, and education for countering cybercrime threats like phishing, smishing, and e-crime, promoting safer online behavior through initiatives like the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. campaign.[1][2][3]
APWG.eu was founded in 2013 in Barcelona as the Anti-Phishing Working Group European Foundation, incorporated under Spanish law as a non-profit research entity managed by an independent Board of Trustees comprising eight members—four each from CaixaBank and the US-based APWG.[2][4][5] This built on the parent APWG, established in 2003 by Tumbleweed Communications, financial institutions, and e-commerce providers, with its first meeting in San Francisco that November and incorporation as an independent 501(c)6 organization in June 2004.[2][3]
The idea emerged from APWG's need for a European arm to enhance global coordination without borders, evidenced by APWG.eu's promotion of the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. campaign and its role in fostering cross-sector collaboration. Early traction came through structured governance: semi-annual Advisory Board meetings for action plans and Scientific Committee gatherings at eCrime conferences to guide research.[1][4][5]
APWG.eu stands out through its non-profit, collaborative structure tailored to European and global cybercrime response:
APWG.eu rides the escalating wave of cybercrime trends, such as phishing proliferation tracked in its Q3 2025 report, amid rising mobile financial threats, domain abuse, and e-crime affecting billions online.[1][10] Timing is critical as digital economies expand, with market forces like regulatory pressures (e.g., EU cybercrime directives) and cross-border attacks demanding unified data logistics—mirroring weather or disease surveillance systems.[1][2]
It influences the ecosystem by advising bodies like the European Commission, Europol EC3, Council of Europe, UNODC, and ICANN; standardizing data for responders; and enabling programmatic neutralization of threats through research and awareness, fostering a global infrastructure that reduces fraud for consumers, businesses, and governments.[2][3][9]
APWG.eu will likely expand research into emerging threats like AI-driven phishing and smishing, leveraging its data pipelines and committees to produce more granular reports and tools.[10] Trends such as quantum-resistant security, deeper public-private AI integrations, and global treaties (e.g., Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative) will shape its path, amplifying influence via expanded clearinghouses and policy advisory roles.[2][3]
As cybercrime grows predictable yet pervasive, APWG.eu's neutral, data-centric coalition—unifying over 2,000 entities—positions it to marginalize threats programmatically, evolving from European chapter to pivotal node in a frontierless global response.[1][2]
