Nearly nine in ten companies believe drone attacks, sabotage and cyber operations could trigger a serious national crisis
Berlin, 6 August 2026. German companies are increasingly concerned that hybrid attacks involving drones, physical sabotage and cyber operations could cause a serious crisis in Europe’s largest economy.
According to a representative survey commissioned by the German digital association Bitkom, 87 per cent of companies believe that analogue and digital attacks could lead to a major crisis in Germany. The findings come amid renewed concern about the vulnerability of airports, critical infrastructure, public authorities and private businesses.
Hybrid attacks typically combine conventional physical methods with cyber operations. They may include arson, explosives, sabotage, drone activity or attacks on digital systems. Such operations are often attributed to state actors or state-linked groups that seek to conceal their involvement and operate below the threshold of open military conflict.
Of the companies surveyed, 18 per cent consider a serious crisis resulting from hybrid attacks to be extremely likely, while 69 per cent regard it as fairly likely. Only 5 per cent believe such a scenario is fairly unlikely, and 3 per cent consider it extremely unlikely.
“Hybrid attacks in the grey zone between war and peace are no longer a theoretical risk,” said Bitkom President Dr Ralf Wintergerst. He pointed to the large number of cyberattacks targeting Germany every day and said that investigations increasingly lead to actors linked to Russia, China and state intelligence services.
Physical attacks on critical infrastructure, public institutions and companies have also become a reality, he added.
Wintergerst called for a rapid strengthening of resilience across business, government and society. Technology companies and start-ups could make an important contribution by developing advanced tools for detecting, preventing and responding to hybrid threats.
Geopolitical tensions increase perceived risk
Three quarters of the companies surveyed believe that current geopolitical tensions are increasing the danger of both physical and digital attacks on Germany. In particular, 75 per cent cited tensions between Russia and NATO, as well as between the United States and Iran, as factors that could raise the threat level.
At the same time, confidence in Germany’s ability to withstand cyberattacks remains limited. Only 33 per cent of respondents believe the country is currently well prepared.
The results point to a significant gap between the scale of the perceived threat and confidence in existing protection and response capabilities. For international companies operating in Germany, the findings also underline the growing importance of business continuity planning, cyber resilience, physical security and closer coordination with public authorities.
About the survey
The survey was conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of Bitkom. A total of 1,003 companies in Germany with at least ten employees and annual revenue of at least €1 million were interviewed by telephone between calendar weeks 16 and 23 of 2026. The survey is representative of the German business sector.
