Cyber security in Germany - statistics & facts

Cyber security is a term to describe the security of computers and other electronic devices. Cyber crime is a relatively new type of crime, but one that is becoming increasingly popular as society becomes increasingly dependent on electronics. The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of people to work from home, meaning that more and more systems were being put online and organizations had to implement new security measures to protect their data.

Types of cyber attacks

As more and more information is stored online, hackers have found different types of cyber attacks to either cause disruption or, in more malicious cases, extort money from companies. The most common type of attacks on IT systems in Germany were infections with damaging software and attacks on passwords. Malware is used to infect computers and can cause several things to happen, such as access to files being blocked, the device becoming inoperable, or even the desktop being inundated with ads. Data theft is another common attack that hackers launch, most commonly on companies or institutions. In 2022, the most common types of data stolen were communications (emails and messages) or customer data. Often with these types of attacks the data is encrypted, and a ransom is demanded before the data is returned. In some cases, such as when hospitals experience the theft and encryption of patient data, the consequences can be fatal.

Improving cyber safety

Since it is clear that technology is the future, investing in better cyber security is necessary in order to protect users and their data. The cost of each cyber attack in Germany is around 19,000 euros, and although this is less than in previous years, it is still a significant amount of money for companies to have to spend. One way to protect against cyber attacks is by taking out cyber insurance, which will cover expenses incurred if a company suffers any kind of online hack or attack. Despite its availability, only 22 percent of German medium-sized companies have purchased cyber insurance and 43 percent of companies have not bought or even considered it. Although the uptake on financial protection seems to be slow, there is a consensus, especially in Germany, that cyber security needs to be improved. Almost 100 percent of respondents to a survey on the topic decided that policymakers should actively promote EU-wide cooperation in the field of security and that harsher action should be taken against cyber attacks from abroad.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Feb 6, 2023

Key insights

Number of cyber crime cases recorded by police
124,137
Financial damage from cyber crimes
202.7bn EUR
Companies who believe they are at a rather high risk of a cyber attack
48%
Get more insights

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