German firms report rising cyber threat from foreign intelligence services

Foreign intelligence services are being blamed for a sharply rising share of cyberattacks and sabotage targeting German businesses, according to a major industry survey released on August 27, 2026. The report from the digital industry association Bitkom found that 37% of companies that suffered data theft, industrial espionage, or sabotage in the past year attributed at least one incident to a foreign intelligence agency. This figure represents a significant increase from 28% in the previous year and a more than fivefold jump from just 7% in 2023.