According to a survey conducted by Hiscox, a private insurer listed on the London Stock Exchange, the cost and frequency of cyber attacks increased significantly in 2018 compared to the previous year.
More than three in five companies (61%) reported an attack in the past year, compared to 45% in the previous year. The cost of attacks has also increased significantly compared to last year, from $229,000 USD last year to $369,000 USD in 2018 (+61%). In addition, while hackers used to focus mainly on large companies, small and medium-sized companies are now just as vulnerable.
This survey, entitled ‘Cyber Readiness Report 2019’, was conducted among 5,392 professionals involved in their organization's cyber security strategy. The countries covered are the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Among the seven countries studied, Belgian companies are the most likely to have been attacked and American companies are the least likely. According to the insurer, the United Kingdom would spend the lowest amount on cybersecurity, with less than $900,000 on average, compared to an average of $1.46 million in the study group.
It should be noted that the Council of the EU is expected to adopt on Friday 17 May, a sanctions regime linked to malicious cyber activities. This scheme has already received the green light from the Member States' Permanent Representatives (see EUROPE 12253/20).
Link to the Hiscox survey: https://bit.ly/2UPtWnW. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)