Bitkom survey shows German firms attributing 39% of data theft incidents to foreign intelligence services, led by China

The survey data reveals a clear escalation pattern. Companies traced more than half of attributed incidents to China, Russia second, and Iran at roughly 10%. Defense and security sector firms reported the highest targeting rates. Economic losses reached an estimated 186-240 billion dollars, driven by ransomware, phishing, and data exfiltration. Official statements from BfV president Sinan Selen link the rise to hybrid operations, yet the survey relies on victim attribution without independent technical verification of actor infrastructure or tooling.