BSI survey: IT security is crucial when buying devices

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In July 2024, the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) conducted a representative consumer survey on the IT security of networked products such as smartphones, tablets and household appliances. The CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) survey of 1,500 consumers of all age groups, conducted on behalf of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), shows that IT security is a key issue and that smart devices must meet basic IT security requirements for consumers.

IT security as a factor of trust

The survey results show that the majority of consumers attach particular importance to basic IT security requirements and regular security updates. Almost three quarters of respondents (74.5%) consider it important or very important that smart devices meet these requirements. It is interesting to note that these IT security requirements are also linked to income and education, as 83.4 percent of these people have a net household income of more than 4,000 euros.

The five most important criteria for the purchase of smart devices are Ease of use (80.4 percent), IT security (76.5 percent), regular security updates (74.6 percent), trust in the manufacturer (72.1 percent) and good test results (67.3 percent).

Manufacturers have a duty

In addition, 73.9% of respondents believe that manufacturers are primarily responsible for the IT security of their devices. Only 15.2 percent believe that politicians are responsible, and only 10.9 percent believe that consumers themselves are responsible.

In connection with this, 67% of users believe that manufacturers should provide additional information about the IT security of their products. At the same time, 68.8% of respondents believe that the security level of smart devices today is higher than it was a few years ago.

IT security label

The BSI's IT security label is rated as trustworthy by 60.7% of respondents, and 72% would be more likely to buy a device with this label than an equivalent device without it. There is great interest in such security information, particularly in the areas of smart homes and IT peripherals such as routers and printers.

In this context, the BSI emphasizes that the IT security label not only represents a competitive advantage for manufacturers, but also strengthens trust in products and brands and can open up new target groups. Manufacturers are therefore invited to use the IT security label and develop it further together in order to meet the requirements of the digital consumer market and the upcoming Cyber Resilience Act.

Even though the survey is not the largest with 1,500 respondents, it provides important insights into the security needs of German consumers and underlines the need for manufacturers to invest in IT security and communicate this accordingly.

(vat)