German firms report rising cyber threat from foreign intelligence services, study shows
More than one in three companies hit by cyberattacks, or 37%, said they had attributed at least one incident in the past 12 months to a foreign intelligence service. That was up from 28% a year earlier and more than five times the 7% recorded in 2023.
A recent study by the German digital industry association Bitkom reveals an alarming surge in cyber threats targeting German firms, with many attributing incidents to foreign intelligence services. According to the report, 37% of the 1,000 companies surveyed experienced cyberattacks linked to these services over the past year, a significant increase from 28% the previous year.
China and Russia emerged as the primary suspects, with 52% and 49% of affected firms respectively linking at least one attack to these nations. A smaller percentage, 9%, attributed attacks to Iran. Despite denials from all three countries, German officials have expressed growing concerns about the escalating threat.
Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst highlighted the blurred lines between criminal groups and state intelligence services, stating that intelligence agencies often leverage criminal structures, while criminals are granted freedom as long as they adhere to political directives. The study also noted a notable shift towards AI-driven attacks, which are expected to increase in frequency.
Eight out of ten companies anticipate a rise in AI-enabled attacks, including robocalls and deepfakes. However, despite the heightened threats, only 45% of companies now believe a successful cyberattack could jeopardize their survival, down from 59% a year ago. Cybersecurity spending remains stable, with IT security comprising an average of 18% of total IT budgets. The representative survey involved over 1,000 companies.
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