- Threats are increasing, say 96 per cent of security experts in Germany
- Spending on IT security continues to rise
- Few companies still operate without emergency plans
96 per cent of security experts in Germany see a growing threat situation, more than in previous years. 4 per cent believe that the threat situation has remained unchanged, and those surveyed do not see the situation easing. These are the findings of the eco IT Security Survey 2024, which surveyed 226 security experts.
Companies are responding to the threat situation and prioritising IT security more than in the previous year, for example with a contingency plan. Only 3.4 per cent of respondents said that they had not defined an emergency plan for an IT security incident, or that such a plan was at best in the planning stage. Last year, 5.8 per cent were still not prepared for the worst-case scenario.
The importance of preventive measures is also growing: Most companies (53.1 per cent) now provide regular IT security training for their staff. 15.1 per cent provide training on an irregular basis, and 5 per cent have planned such training. Overall, companies also spent more money on IT security last year: 34.6 per cent increased their spending moderately and 5.6 per cent significantly. Only about a third (32.9 per cent) did not increase IT security spending, or actually reduced it (1.1 per cent).
Many underestimate the threat
Despite all this commitment on the part of companies, the German economy is still inadequately positioned when it comes to IT security. As in previous years, this is the conclusion reached by most experts (76 per cent). In contrast, the experts are rather optimistic about their own company’s IT security: 54 per cent of respondents say their own company is very well or well protected, while 31 per cent describe themselves as sufficiently protected. Despite this, one in five companies (20 per cent) had at least one IT security incident in the past year, some of which caused significant damage (4 per cent).
“Although the importance of IT security is increasing overall in Germany and many companies believe they are secure, many decision-makers in SMEs still underestimate the threat situation,” says Oliver Dehning, Leader of eco’s IT Security Competence Group. “A ransomware attack can hamper a company’s business activities for up to a year and even threaten its existence. And many SMEs, in particular, are the focus of of international cybercrime networks without even realising it.”
Download the eco IT Security Survey 2024
