German Firms Scramble to Outwit Cybercriminals

Growing concerns about data protection are leading many companies to prefer service providers that are locally based, ISG Provider Lens™ report says

FRANKFURT, Germany–(Cyberpress)–Artificial intelligence is seen as both the culprit and the remedy for an expanding number of cyberattacks in Germany, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

“Most companies realize this is a battle that they are unable to fight on their own”

The 2023 ISG Provider Lens™ Cybersecurity – Solutions and Services report for Germany finds that steadily more sophisticated, often AI-driven cyberattacks are causing considerable trouble for businesses in Germany that are seeking AI-based solutions to counter them. The challenges are especially acute among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the ISG report says.

“SMEs are a particularly attractive market segment for cybersecurity providers,” said Roger Albrecht, partner and co-lead of ISG Cybersecurity, based in Germany. “Those companies are often saddled with outdated security systems and are scrambling to upgrade them.”

The scarcity of qualified resources and the need for updated specialist knowledge are driving German companies to turn to managed security services, the ISG report says. Due to concerns about data protection, large and medium-sized customers alike prefer Security Operations Centers (SOCs) located in Germany. Although managed security services providers rely on AI and automation to combat cyberattacks, human expertise remains indispensable, ISG says.

As with AI, the human factor can be both a cure and a cause for cybersecurity woes. When it comes to increasing a company’s vulnerability to cyberattacks, users can be a major culprit with careless actions, such as falling victim to Trojan or phishing attacks, the ISG report says. That is why up-to-date cybersecurity equipment alone isn’t always sufficient. User training and consulting can also play an important role, ISG says.

Devious cybercriminals aren’t the only thing keeping German enterprises on their toes, ISG says. Legal regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU also require companies to implement stronger security measures. According to ISG’s report, complying with these regulations remains a major challenge, especially for medium-sized companies.

“Most companies realize this is a battle that they are unable to fight on their own,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “They are turning to experienced providers that can offer proactive methods based on AI to safeguard against cyberthreats.”

The report also examines how organizations are using XDR solutions to better understand and contextualize information gathered from various security tools deployed in their IT infrastructure.

The 2023 ISG Provider Lens™ Cybersecurity – Solutions and Services report for Germany evaluates the capabilities of 107 providers across seven quadrants: Identity & Access Management (IAM), Data Leakage/Loss Prevention (DLP) & Data Security, Extended Detection & Response (XDR), Security Service Edge (SSE), Strategic Security Services, Technical Security Services and Managed Security Services – SOC.

The report names IBM as a Leader in six quadrants and Eviden (Atos) as a Leader in four quadrants. Accenture, Axians, Capgemini, Deutsche Telekom and Microsoft are named as Leaders in three quadrants each, while Bechtle, Broadcom, CANCOM, Computacenter, Controlware, Forcepoint, Palo Alto Networks and Trend Micro are named as Leaders in two quadrants each. Cato Networks, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Deloitte, DriveLock, DXC Technology, Fortinet, Fortra, GBS, HCLTech, Infosys, KPMG, Matrix42, Netskope, Okta, Orange Cyberdefense, Ping Identity, SailPoint, SentinelOne, TCS, Trellix, Versa Networks, Wipro and Zscaler are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, glueckkanja-gab, HPE (Aruba), Imprivata, Infosys, suresecure and Trellix are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

Customized versions of the report are available from Axians, CANCOM, Computacenter, Deutsche Telekom, DriveLock, suresecure and Syntax.

The 2023 ISG Provider Lens™ Cybersecurity – Solutions and Services report for Germany is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG’s global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG’s enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 900 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,600 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

Contacts

Philipp Jaensch, ISG
+49 151 730 365 76
[email protected]

Matthias Longo, for ISG
+49 152 341 464 63
[email protected]