Cybersecurity in the TMT sector: progress alone does not ensure resilience

Technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) companies operate digital infrastructures and communication platforms, making them highly dependent on effective cybersecurity measures. Our latest study, "Defending Trust: How Resilient Are TMT Sector Companies?", highlights areas where the industry has already significantly strengthened its defenses against attackers, as well as areas where further action is still required. The study provides an overall assessment of the TMT sector, along with detailed findings for its three subsectors.

How well prepared are the technology, media and telecommunications sectors for security risks?

A survey of 260 German TMT companies shows that many companies already have advanced security structures in place. At the same time, there is a clear need for action in several areas.

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Cybersecurity in the TMT sector: Where do companies stand today?

How far have technology, media and telecoms companies really come in terms of cybersecurity and AI security? Our study provides up-to-date key figures, highlights existing gaps and makes it clear where decision-makers should focus their efforts now.

The key findings:

Around half of companies have achieved the highest level of cybersecurity maturity, whilst around 20 per cent remain at a low level.
Around 40 per cent have implemented security solutions for anomaly detection only to a limited extent, or not at all.
70 per cent are already using AI to support their cyber security, whilst a further 24 per cent are planning to do so.
Investments in cybersecurity are increasingly being linked to innovation, market development, resilience and digital transformation.

Where do the greatest challenges lie in the field of cybersecurity?

TMT companies see the implementation of security measures as the biggest hurdles. There is a particular need for improvement and catching up, especially in the areas of identity and access management and the integration of security solutions. As examples, respondents mention, for instance, that management does not give the issue of cybersecurity the necessary attention. Inadequate tools for detecting AI-specific threats are also cited here.

When it comes to the secure use of AI, it is not only organisational barriers that are holding back progress. Whilst AI functions have already been incorporated into many cybersecurity processes, their level of maturity, scope of application and proven effectiveness still vary.

It is not only threats from cybercriminals that are on the rise for businesses. At the same time, the importance of cloud security and data sovereignty is growing. Our study shows that, due to regulatory requirements, telecommunications companies often adopt a more cautious approach than technology and media companies.

What can decision-makers learn from our study?

The findings show that competitiveness increasingly depends on how thoroughly cybersecurity is integrated into business processes. Organisations that incorporate security measures into their AI and technology processes at an early stage lay the foundations for greater resilience. For decision-makers, this means that cybersecurity should play a major role in strategic decision-making. At the same time, it is important to improve responsiveness to security incidents and to ensure that the use of AI and cloud technologies is secure from the outset. The next step in this journey should be to prioritise cyber investments not only on the basis of activity and compliance, but also on the basis of measurable risk reduction and business impact.

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