(10.04.2023) Cyber threats weigh heavily on the Swiss economy. The swissVR Monitor reveals that 45% of large companies have already been targeted by a cyber attack at least once.
According to this report by the Swiss Board Association (in collaboration with Deloitte and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences), SMEs seem less affected: 18% of companies with fewer than 50 employees reported experiencing a serious computer hacking incident. This figure can be explained by the fact that large companies provide cybercriminals with a broader attack surface than smaller businesses. Another possible reason is that SMEs, unlike large companies, do not systematically report cyber attacks to their board of directors.
Cyber attacks can have serious consequences on operational activities: in 42% of cases highlighted by the swissVR report, the company's activities were paralyzed. This rate increases to 69% in the information and communication technology sector - the most targeted of all.
Data leaks, product or service malfunctions, and sometimes even "ripple effect" attacks on customers (11%) are other types of incidents that frequently result from computer hacking within a company.
These inconveniences can lead to a significant loss of revenue due to business interruption or the work required to restore data.
The survey, however, shows that cyber resilience is becoming a crucial aspect of the strategy for companies in all sectors. Among the surveyed board members, 95% believe that this issue has gained importance in the last three years. Nevertheless, the report notes that nearly half of the surveyed companies do not have a clear strategy in this regard.
Last modification 04.10.2023
