What company bosses want from legislation and politics when it comes to cyber protection

The C-level managers of the companies surveyed were able to choose from six possible answers; multiple answers were permitted. As far as the two most frequently mentioned areas are concerned, the respondents were all in agreement: the call for more international cooperation and the demand for more concrete support from politics and legislation ranked first and second among the expectations of the companies surveyed in the DACH region.

The expectations and appeals to legislation and politics by companies in detail:

Work together more internationally

The respondents' most important appeal to legislators and politicians is for "more cooperation at international level to create standards for cyber protection". This demand came in first place in all three countries. In Germany, almost 52% of the bosses surveyed support this, in Austria 56% and in Switzerland half of them. Among Swiss retail companies, this wish was mentioned even more frequently (71.4%), while 74% of Austrian service providers even see this as a top priority.

Provides concrete support, promotes cyber protection

The desire for concrete support, such as improved or more funding for cyber protection, comes in second place in each of the neighboring countries - in Germany with 43.3%, in Austria with 38% and in Switzerland with 30%. Upward outliers can be found among retail companies in Germany (58.1%) and service companies in Austria (52.2%).

Tighter controls on the internet

When it comes to the demand for stricter control of the internet in favor of cyber protection, German respondents in particular come to the fore - 31.3% of them support this point (third place). Both Austrian and Swiss managers as a whole ranked stricter control lower, with 26% each and fourth place; only Austrian service companies also consider this to be the third most important aspect with 34.8%.

Provides concrete guidelines for cyber protection

German companies are also in first place for this demand. They report a 30.8% desire for concrete guidelines, the fourth most frequent demand overall in the German ranking. This expectation is particularly high among larger German companies (more than 200 employees) - as many as 42% of them would like to see more specific requirements from legislation. This expectation is less pronounced in neighboring countries. In Austria, 26% of companies are in favor of demanding specific action guidelines (5th place in Austria) and in Switzerland this wish is even less popular, ranking last with 22%.

Enforces existing laws more strictly

The expectation that existing laws such as the GDPR or NIS2 should be enforced more strictly is emphasized above all by Austrian companies, with 32% placing this demand in third place in the country ranking. This point is slightly less popular in neighboring countries. 27.4% of German managers would like to see more enforcement by the state, while 24% of their Swiss colleagues ticked this box.

Let's take care of it ourselves

Swiss bosses in particular would like to see less regulation, intervention and enforcement of legal requirements. Thirty-six percent of them say that they do not support any of the demands listed above, but would rather regulate cyber protection in their companies themselves. As many as 42% of Swiss manufacturing companies are opposed to interference by legislation. In Germany, on the other hand, only 22.4% of respondents reject increased influence and support, although the German manufacturing industry is also more self-sufficient at 30.8%. Austrian decision-makers are the most willing to tolerate action guidelines and enforcement by legislation, with only 18% of them calling for cyber security in their companies to be managed entirely independently.

Source: www.sophos.com