A recent survey conducted by the Nuremberg Institute for Employment Research revealed that nine percent of businesses in Germany have fallen victim to espionage attacks within the last five years. Additionally, approximately twelve percent reported at least one suspected case or attack on their operations. The most affected sectors were found to be information and communication, as well as innovative and exporting companies.
The data was gathered from a survey of around 15,000 businesses in Germany in the year 2023. The survey indicated that two-thirds of the attacks were characterized as hacking incidents targeting the companies’ IT systems. Furthermore, digital data theft occurred in more than twenty percent of the affected companies over the past five years. According to IAB researcher Iris Möller, industrial and economic espionage primarily takes place in the digital realm, such as through cyberattacks or digital surveillance.
The survey results suggest that almost all sectors of the economy are vulnerable to industrial and economic espionage. Particularly high numbers of reported incidents came from the information and communication industry, transportation and storage, wholesale trade, public administration, as well as financial and insurance services. The primary targets of such espionage activities are innovative, research-oriented companies engaged in international competition.
The findings raise concerns about the potential increase in espionage activities targeting businesses in Germany. With the rise of sophisticated cyber threats and digital espionage tactics, companies must strengthen their cybersecurity measures to protect their sensitive information and intellectual property. The evolving landscape of industrial and economic espionage underscores the importance of investing in robust cybersecurity infrastructure and implementing comprehensive security protocols to safeguard against malicious attacks.