Germany strengthens resilience against hybrid threats and cyberattacks

German digital association Bitkom has launched the ‘Bitkom Resilience Hub’ to help citizens, municipalities, and companies prepare for hybrid threats, such as cyberattacks, sabotage, and disinformation campaigns. While approximately 80 percent of businesses and citizens consider a serious crisis resulting from hybrid attacks to be likely, only 28 percent of companies currently possess crisis or emergency management systems. Furthermore, only a small fraction of the population feels well-prepared for such scenarios.

The Resilience Hub provides practical resources, including guides, checklists, and a video podcast. A specific ‘Resilient Municipality’ guide has been developed to assist local administrators in managing risks, such as cyberattacks on IT service providers that could paralyze municipal operations.

In parallel, the state of Baden-Württemberg is investing approximately 5.2 million euros to improve crisis preparedness in hospitals. Through 2028, the state government will fund large-scale exercises designed to test hospital responses to various emergencies, including IT failures, power outages, heatwaves, and mass casualty events. These drills aim to evaluate technical, organizational, and communication protocols in coordination with local health authorities and civil protection agencies.