China has emerged as the leading hub for cyber attacks against German companies, according to a comprehensive report by the German digital association Bitkom. The report highlights that the German economy suffered staggering losses of nearly 267 billion euros last year due to theft, sabotage, and industrial espionage. This alarming trend underscores the growing tension between China and Germany, as more than 45% of affected companies traced their cyberattacks back to Chinese sources, a slight increase from 42% in 2023. In contrast, the percentage of attacks attributed to Russia has decreased significantly, with only 39% of companies reporting Russian origins for their cyber threats, down from 46% last year.
The report further reveals that malicious hackers from Eastern Europe accounted for 32% of the attacks, while 21% of incidents were traced back to EU countries, excluding Germany. Notably, a significant portion of companies (36%) could not identify the origin of the attacks, indicating a complex landscape of cyber threats. Alarmingly, 20% of targeted firms suspected the attacks originated within Germany itself, and 25% believed their attackers were based in the United States. This data paints a vivid picture of the evolving cybersecurity challenges facing German businesses, as they navigate an increasingly hostile digital environment. Ralf Wintergerst, president of Bitkom, emphasized the implications of these figures, suggesting they reflect the broader conflicts and tensions of our time, manifesting through cyber warfare.
