KPMG surveyed a total of 299 industrial companies , including 44 from Germany. The majority of corporate executives have recognized the signs of the time and see digitization as an opportunity. Moreover, two-thirds of the CEOs surveyed are already prepared for their business model to change fundamentally. At the same time, however, they are experiencing increasing pressure from the stakeholders to show rapid success in this regard. The majority of respondents use alliances with other companies to achieve their own growth goals.

Let’s hope that, with greater speed, safety won’t be lost sight of. However, this is indicated by another result of the survey. According to it, only half of the participants are convinced that they are well protected against cyber attacks. It is alarming that just as many are not wondering if, but when their company will be the victim of such an attack.

"Waiting is not an option," said Peter Wirnsperger , Partner Cyber Risk Services at Deloitte. He also believes that it is only a matter of time before "the first company assumed to be secure will have to dispose of batch parts that have not been properly produced due to a hacker attack ." Therefore, office and production IT should be protected together if they are to work together. IT-technical operation monitoring for production machines is necessary as well.