Companies Cyberattacks are the biggest threat to companies according to the Barometer
As in the previous year, cyberattacks top the list of business risks in Allianz's annual risk barometer. They are followed by business interruptions, natural disasters and changes to legal and official regulations.
15.01.2025, 00:22
SDA
While 36% of the managers and security experts surveyed in the previous year feared hacker attacks, this time the figure was 38%. Closely related to this is the shutdown of operations caused in many cases by cyber attacks in second place, which, as in the previous year, worries 31% of participants in the risk barometer.
The corporate insurer Allianz Commercial, which is part of the Munich-based Dax group, surveyed a total of 3778 managers, security experts, brokers and some of its own employees in 106 countries.
In the case of natural disasters, the proportion of those concerned rose by three percentage points to 29%. According to Allianz, this reflects the increasing damage caused by natural disasters.
Business risk politics and authorities
The change is particularly clear when it comes to regulation - meaning, for example, customs duties and protectionism, but also environmental regulations. A year ago, 19 percent saw this as a major business risk; this time it is already 25 percent.
Climate change moved up to fifth place in the global ranking, with just under a fifth of participants (19%) rating it as a top business risk.
Artificial intelligence also helps hackers
For the fourth year in a row, cyber attacks are now in first place as the biggest risk for companies. Hackers are also benefiting from the rapid progress in information technology: "Artificial intelligence is also being used by criminals," said Jens Krickhahn, Head of Cyber Insurance at Allianz Commercial.
Artificial intelligence or even networked or autonomous machines in themselves are now seen by more than a few managers as a potential threat to their own company: "New technologies" landed in tenth place among the top risks for the first time.
No longer represented in the top ten list is a topic that played a major role just a few years ago: the fear of an impending pandemic.
