Survey: 15% of German companies hit by cyberattack in last 12 months

Nearly one in seven German companies have been the victim of a cyberattack in the past 12 months, according to a new survey commissioned by technical inspection authority TÜV. Approximately 15% of companies with at least 10 employees reported at least one IT security incident over the past year. The number of successful hacker attacks rose by 4 percentage points compared to a similar survey conducted two years ago. However, most affected companies said that they did not suffer any damage from the cyberattacks. Only very few reported serious or even existential damage. Commenting on the survey, TÜV president Michael Fübi said the German economy has become a significant target of state and criminal hackers who want to steal sensitive data, extort money, or sabotage key supply structures.