The bottom line: German companies are increasingly switching their security providers and preferentially investing in AI security and Identity and Access Management, while integration and value for money dominate purchasing decisions.
64 percent of German companies plan to switch their cybersecurity provider within the next twelve months or are actively considering it. At the same time, they want to expand their IT security budgets.
According to a study by market research firm Coleman Parkes Research commissioned by The Hoffman Agency, 64 percent of German cybersecurity decision-makers plan to switch their provider or are seriously considering a switch. This share is slightly below the international average of 67 percent. Notably, 64 percent of companies also want to increase their IT security investments. The study surveyed 500 cybersecurity executives in Germany, the United Kingdom, USA and France from financial services, technology, telecommunications, media, healthcare, retail and the public sector who had made major technology purchases in the past twelve months.
In terms of budget allocation, investments globally focus on AI security, security operations and Identity and Access Management. By contrast, network security, endpoint security and security analytics are particularly frequently discussed as reasons for provider switches. Traditional threat defense remains the most important investment driver: 55 percent globally cite response to phishing, malware, ransomware and social engineering; in Germany, the focus on AI system protection stands at 33 percent, well below the international average of 38 percent. Cost pressures and skills shortages round out the priority list.
Procurement processes move faster than commonly assumed: on average, only seven months pass between identifying the need and selecting a provider. More than half of respondents (55 percent) complete the process in under six months. In doing so, 65 percent of decision-makers contact vendors before the shortlist phase, with only 9 percent waiting until the final round. LLMs are increasingly finding their way into these decisions: 20 percent of respondents globally use language models in research and final selection (in the USA 24 percent), while direct peer recommendations (35 percent), analysts (32 percent) and industry events (28 percent) still dominate information gathering.
For purchasing criteria, integration into existing systems and value for money are mentioned equally by 89 percent. Proof of successful implementations at comparable companies is rated as decisive by 87 percent. Notably, companies rate value for money higher than the purchase price alone.
Source: www.it-daily.net · Published 30 July 2026
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