IDC Study: Cloud Security is Top Strategic Priority for Businesses

Cloud security has emerged as the primary strategic concern for businesses navigating the evolving cybersecurity landscape. An IDC study, "Cybersecurity in DACH 2022," conducted on behalf of secunet Security Networks AG, found that 34% of companies identified cloud security as their most critical strategic security topic for 2022 and 2023.

The research, which surveyed over 300 companies across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, also highlighted secure backups and disaster recovery (20%), data security (19%), and security awareness training (15%) as significant focus areas. Nearly two-thirds of respondents reported that their security environments have become more complex over the past year, with 69% anticipating further increases in complexity.

Digital sovereignty is gaining prominence, with economic and political factors making it "much more important" for 26% of companies and "more important" for 49%. Businesses perceive digital sovereignty as enabling greater control over their digital transformation, enhancing customer trust, and fostering collaborations within digital ecosystems.

The study also revealed that 72% of companies in the DACH region have been affected by ransomware attacks. Furthermore, 40% have observed an increase in cyberattacks over the past twelve months, and half expect attack volumes to continue rising. Notably, only 50% of affected companies were able to successfully defend against ransomware incidents.