Sabotage and data theft: Companies experience more attacks by foreign intelligence agencies
German companies have noticed significantly more attacks by foreign intelligence agencies in the past twelve months than in the previous year
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Summary
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. 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.
Furthermore, 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. 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.
In addition, 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. 67 percent of respondents reported such incidents; A further 29 percent said that their own company was "probably affected". The proportion of companies that suffered damage from deepfakes doubled from 4 to 8 percent.
Cross-referenced from 2 sources.
Factual coreconfirmed by several independent voices
German 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 sources67 percent of respondents reported such incidents; A further 29 percent said that their own company was "probably affected".
reliability moderate2/2 sources
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The proportion of companies that suffered damage from deepfakes doubled from 4 to 8 percent.
according to Handelsblatt
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