Sabotage and data theft: Companies experience more attacks by foreign intelligence agencies
According to a survey, attacks by state actors have increased
- Center-left3
- Center-right1
2 agency rewrites / co-publications detected
Summary
According to a survey, attacks by state actors have increased. German companies have noticed significantly more attacks by foreign intelligence agencies in the past twelve months than in the previous year. For its current business protection report, the industry association Bitkom asked around 1,000 executives and IT managers this spring whether their company was affected by theft, industrial espionage or sabotage within a year.
Furthermore, More uncertainty In the previous two years, the proportion of executives who could not detect an attack with certainty, but only suspected, had been lower at 10 percent each. In 49 percent of cases, the companies assume that the attacker was in Russia. 62 percent of those affected experienced attacks by criminal gangs, a decline of six percentage points from 2025.
In addition, Probably for this reason, the damage amount for the German economy due to attacks in the digital and analogue countries is at least 211 billion euros this time lower than in previous years. According to the IT industry association Bitkom, of the companies that have experienced sabotage, espionage or theft, 37 percent saw a foreign intelligence service at work, up from 28 percent in the previous year. The proportion of companies that suffered damage from deepfakes doubled from 4 to 8 percent.
Moreover, The number of cases brought to the attention of a company by a public authority has therefore increased.
Cross-referenced from 4 sources.
Factual coreconfirmed by several independent voices
According to a survey, attacks by state actors have increased.
reliability low1/3 sourcesGerman companies have noticed significantly more attacks by foreign intelligence agencies in the past twelve months than in the previous year.
reliability moderate2/2 sourcesFor its current business protection report, the industry association Bitkom asked around 1,000 executives and IT managers this spring whether their company was affected by theft, industrial espionage or sabotage within a year.
reliability moderate2/2 sourcesMore uncertainty In the previous two years, the proportion of executives who could not detect an attack with certainty, but only suspected, had been lower at 10 percent each.
reliability moderate2/2 sourcesIn 49 percent of cases, the companies assume that the attacker was in Russia.
reliability moderate2/2 sources62 percent of those affected experienced attacks by criminal gangs, a decline of six percentage points from 2025.
reliability moderate2/2 sourcesProbably for this reason, the damage amount for the German economy due to attacks in the digital and analogue countries is at least 211 billion euros this time lower than in previous years.
reliability moderate2/2 sourcesAccording to the IT industry association Bitkom, of the companies that have experienced sabotage, espionage or theft, 37 percent saw a foreign intelligence service at work, up from 28 percent in the previous year.
reliability moderate2/2 sources
Reported detailssecondary facts, each attributed to its source
The proportion of companies that suffered damage from deepfakes doubled from 4 to 8 percent.
according to HandelsblattThe number of cases brought to the attention of a company by a public authority has therefore increased.
according to Handelsblatt
Disputedincompatible versions — to verify
No factual contradiction detected between sources.
Framing by sidesame fact, different words — loaded terms highlighted
Right side
- ilgal
Blind spotwhat one side keeps silent
No blind spot detected: every side covers the same facts.
Sources3 sources cross-checked
Center-right1
