German Firms Report Surge in Foreign Intelligence Cyberattacks, Russia and China Top List

German companies experienced a notable rise in cyberattacks orchestrated by foreign intelligence services last year, with Russia and China identified as the main perpetrators. The IT industry association Bitkom reported that 37 percent of companies that suffered sabotage, espionage, or theft suspected a foreign intelligence agency was behind the attacks, an increase from 28 percent the previous year.

The survey, which polled around 1,000 executives and IT managers, found that 67 percent of businesses reported experiencing theft, industrial espionage, or sabotage within the past year. An additional 29 percent believed their company was likely affected. While attacks attributed to criminal gangs saw a slight decrease, falling to 62 percent from the previous year's figures, the threat from state-sponsored actors has grown.

Both the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) have warned of heightened risks. The BKA noted a rise in reported cybercrimes, particularly those where the perpetrator's location is unknown or abroad. Targets range from financially strong companies and government institutions to vulnerable small and medium-sized enterprises. Despite the increase in perceived foreign intelligence activity, the estimated economic damage from cyberattacks in Germany decreased to at least 211 billion euros, down from approximately 289 billion euros in 2025 and 266.6 billion euros in 2024.

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The number of cybercrimes known to the police is increasing. This is primarily due to cases where the perpetrator's location is unknown or abroad.