Cyberattacks on German companies:

New report from RIEDEL Networks examines current threat situation

Analysis of IT security incidents in the second half of 2024 shows that ransomware and cyber extortion remain serious threats to the economy and offers trends and concrete recommendations for action

Butzbach, March 20, 2025 – RIEDEL Networks, a provider of tailormade IT security and network services, has published its latest report with over 100 documented IT security incidents from the second half of 2024 to show where German companies are particularly vulnerable – and how they can protect themselves. Experts assume that the number of unreported incidents is significantly higher, as many security incidents remain undetected or are not reported. The report shows that ransomware attacks continue to dominate, while cyber criminals are becoming increasingly professional. At the same time, the threat of state-sponsored espionage is increasing, particularly affecting critical infrastructure and the public sector. The increased use of AI-supported malware and the growing number of attacks on cloud-based systems are developing into a new threat dimension.

“The threat situation in the area of cyber security is coming to a head and the professionalization of cybercrime has reached a new level of escalation. Companies urgently need to realign and expand their defense strategies in order to keep pace with this development,” warns Michael Martens, CEO of RIEDEL Networks. “Those who continue to rely on outdated security concepts risk serious economic damage.”

Key findings of the report:

Ransomware continues to dominate: At 47% (45% in H1-2024), ransomware remains the most common type of attack.

Extortionists are the largest group of attackers (42%): Cybercrime is increasingly economically motivated (40 % in H1-2024), highlighting the strong financial motivation behind many cyberattacks. White hackers, on the other hand, play a smaller role in H2-2024, while malicious hackers account for a larger share (25%, compared to 20% in H1-2024).

High proportion of state espionage (23%): Political and economic interests play a significant role in cyberattacks (25 % in H1-2024).

Important sectors are particularly affected: The financial sector (25 %), healthcare (20 %) and industry (18 %) are particularly targeted by attackers. Data protection issues are particularly critical in the healthcare sector, as patient data is extremely sensitive.

Phishing & social engineering remains a problem: with twelve percent of attacks, it is clear that human error remains a major weakness in IT security.

Download the report now

RIEDEL Networks has analyzed the areas of damage resulting from the report and provides companies with specific recommendations for action to protect themselves effectively against these threats. These include increased network security measures, targeted training to raise employee awareness and the use of modern threat analyses. In addition, IT security experts provide practical recommendations based on their experience. Florian Dalwigk, intelligence expert and author of specialist books, emphasizes: “Companies must promote the conscious and competent use of AI in order to minimize security risks. AI literacy must become an integral part of the cyber security strategy of companies and authorities. Comprehensive protection therefore requires not only purely technical security measures, but also a high level of AI literacy and critical thinking within the organization.”

Chris Rock, a cyber mercenary with 30 years of experience who has worked for both governments and private organizations and is co-founder and Chief Information Security Officer of SIEMonster, believes a holistic view is crucial: “Research must not stop at the discovery of a flaw – it must also examine why a vulnerability exists, what short-term solutions are available and how such flaws can be avoided in the long term.” He has already presented three times at the world’s largest hacking conference, DEFCON in Las Vegas, highlighting controversial security vulnerabilities.

The aim of the report is not to pillory the companies concerned, but to derive valuable insights and best practices. It is intended to support its readers in improving their security measures and minimizing their own risk of such incidents. For this reason, RIEDEL Networks deliberately refrains from naming specific companies in the report.

About RIEDEL Networks:

RIEDEL Networks is a privately owned, global network provider focused on tailormade networks. We are listed in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global WAN Services as a niche provider specializing in medium-sized international companies and the media and events sector. With our own global backbone, we help companies to be networked worldwide. Our services include Internet connections, MPLS, SD-WAN, SASE, Cloud Connect, security and much more. Our customers come from various industries and appreciate quality, safety and reliability. RIEDEL Networks is a 100% owned company of the RIEDEL Communications Group in Wuppertal, Germany, and is fully privately owned by Thomas Riedel.