Chinese cyberattacks hit nearly half of German firms, study – DW – 08/28/2024
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Almost half of German companies say they have suffered Chinese cyberattacks or other industrial espionage, a study shows. Acts of industrial sabotage have done huge damage to the German economy this year alone, it says.

Eighty percent of German businesses reported being hit by data or IT theft, industrial espionage or sabotage in the last 12 months, with 45% of companies tracing cyberattacks or other acts of industrial spying to China, a survey showed on Wednesday.

The survey by Bitkom, a trade association for Germany’s IT sector, also saw Russia being blamed for 39% of attacks.

That figure, however, is down from a previous 46%, while the statistic for China is three percentage points more than in the last survey in 2023.

The survey estimated that the German economy had suffered damage of up to €267 billion ($297 billion) in the last 12 months from acts of industrial espionage, including cybercrime. That figure is up 29% from the year before.