G DATA study proves: Lack of transparency jeopardizes IT security at German companies

Around 50 percent of German companies have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to error culture in the area of IT security. This is shown by the current representative study “Cybersecurity in Figures” by G DATA CyberDefense, Statista and brand eins. Almost two-thirds of German employees do not point out cybersecurity misconduct to superiors. The fatal thing is that an inadequate error culture increases susceptibility to cyber threats and thus jeopardizes the overall security of companies.

Half of German employees still see strong potential for improvement in the open communication of errors within their company, according to the current survey “Cybersecurity in Numbers” by G DATA CyberDefense. Particularly alarming is the fact that only 36 percent of employees bring misconduct in the area of IT security to the attention of their superiors. This is where the key lies: supervisors should not only encourage employees to report their own mistakes, but also act as role models and contact persons themselves in terms of open communication. If this does not happen, there is a danger that security risks will go undetected and develop into cyber threats with serious consequences.

After all, comprehensive protection against cybercriminals requires not only technological IT security solutions but also a corporate culture based on trust, transparency and continuous learning.

“Effective IT security management requires not only technological measures, but also a culture of open dialog. A continuous exchange at all hierarchical levels creates a relationship of trust and contributes to faster remediation of IT security vulnerabilities. In addition, it is crucial to train employees on a regular basis to raise awareness of security risks,” says Andreas Lüning, board member and co-founder of G DATA CyberDefense.

Public sector particularly affected

In times of growing cyber threats, dealing with errors is becoming a critical security factor for companies. There is a clear need to catch up, especially in the public sector, as the results of the current survey show. According to the survey, only a quarter of the colleagues surveyed regularly point out misconduct in the area of IT security. A lack of openness in dealing with errors can lead to serious consequences, such as data leaks, system failures and cyber attacks, especially in IT security.

The study shows how urgent it is to raise awareness of IT security and create an open communication culture in the public sector. This can be achieved through security awareness training, clear guidelines and a supportive environment.

Companies in the “telecommunications and information” sector are best positioned at 45 percent, but they also have a lot of catching up to do.

Download the study “Cybersecurity in figures

“Cybersecurity in Figures” is characterized by a high density of information and particular methodological depth: Statista’s researchers and market researchers have compiled figures, data and facts from more than 300 statistics into a unique body of work. More than 5,000 employees in Germany were surveyed as part of a representative online study on cybersecurity in a professional and private context. The experts at Statista closely accompanied the survey and, thanks to a sample size that is far above the industry standard, can present resilient and valid market research results in the “Cybersicherheit in Zahlen” magazine.

The magazine “Cybersicherheit in Zahlen” in German language is available for download at: https://www.gdata.de/cybersicherheit-in-zahlen