The new VDMA study “Industrial Security and Product Piracy 2024” shows that protection against cyber attacks is becoming increasingly important for companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector. At the same time, combating product and brand piracy remains key. The study was compiled by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC. A good 100 VDMA member companies took part.

Protection against cyber attacks is becoming increasingly important in the mechanical and plant engineering sector: in the last two years, 24% of the companies surveyed have already been affected by significant cyber security incidents. Hackers want to gain access to business secrets or act with blackmailing intentions. The resulting damage is difficult to estimate due to the need for secrecy.

To protect themselves from these threats, 96% of the companies surveyed stated that they have at least one cyber security measure in place at their business premises. 80 percent of companies use measures to detect attacks in order to be able to react at an early stage. In addition, 59 percent of companies have taken out cyber insurance. Another positive development is the growing willingness to network in local or regional cyber alliances. Already 13 percent of companies are involved in such alliances, while 50 percent can imagine getting involved in principle.

Other important results

• New NIS2 directive for the cyber-secure operation of information systems: 24% of companies believe they are not affected by NIS2, but a VDMA analysis revealed that around 90% actually are. 
• The total damage caused by counterfeiting in mechanical and plant engineering amounts to 4.1 billion euros (minus 2.3 billion euros compared to 2022) and corresponds to around 16,000 jobs.
• China remains the most important country of origin for counterfeits, with India and Germany in second and third place.