The number of cyber attacks against Sweden’s large companies is expected to rise further this year, according to a survey by PwC. “We clearly see that security is not keeping up with technological development,” says expert Jakob Bundgaard.
In 2018, 49% of 100 large companies in Sweden were affected by cyber attacks.
This is a marginal increase from last year, according to a survey from the audit firm PWC, reported by Di Digital. 65 percent of the companies fear that the attacks on their own organization will increase even more this year.
The companies included in the survey are anonymous, but have annual sales of at least SEK 1 billion.
“We clearly see that security is not keeping up with technological development. It is about time that we wake up – we have been too naive in Sweden,” says Jakob Bundgaard, security officer at PWC in Sweden.
At the same time, the cyber threat is becoming increasingly complex and affects all types of operations, he claims, and gives some examples of threats.
“State-financed nation states that want to influence society in some direction, or actors who want to access money or sensitive information.”
“Another threat is cyber terrorism, aimed at influencing socially important operations such as water and electricity supply. It can also involve means of transport such as air and train traffic.”
As many as 81 percent of the company executives in the survey believe that new technology, such as robotics and automation, increases the risk of cyber attacks.
As a result of technology collaborations and subcontractors, so-called third-party risks arise for the major companies. Here, too, there is concern about being exposed to cyber attacks: 48 replied that the risks increased last year. Jakob Bundgaard notes that other countries, including our Nordic neighbors and England, have come further in education.
The survey also shows that the majority of company managers want politicians to take greater responsibility and take the threats seriously. They propose that cyber security should be included in primary and secondary schools.
“As many as 76 percent believe that Swedish politicians currently do not take cybersecurity seriously enough as a societal challenge. In our neighboring countries, more money is allocated to preventive work on cyber security,” says Jakob Bundgaard.
Increased cooperation between the private and public sectors is, according to Jakob Bundgaard, necessary to reverse the downward spiral.
“The question of cyber security should be part of daily business and not an isolated IT issue. These discussions need to be a standing item on the agenda in both management teams and boards,” says Jakob Bundgaard.
Source: Di Digital, Camilla Pålsson, 5 May 2019 (in Swedish).
