The German government could impose stricter cyber security regulations on companies if they do not do enough themselves. "The time may come when the public asks us to impose certain security measures," said Federal Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière (CDU) at the beginning of June 2017. "We are not there yet," he qualified.

De Maizière compared the situation with the development of helmets: there is a helmet requirement for motorcyclists - but at the same time, many cyclists and skiers also wear helmets and that is enough. With regard to the regulations on cyber security, the Minister said: "At the moment, I am relying on the bicycle helmet method." At the same time, companies in other sectors such as logistics are currently pushing to be considered as critical infrastructure as well. The list may have to be revised in the future.

The President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Dieter Kempf, urged caution in expanding the list of critical infrastructure. "I think it's dangerous." Kempf and de Maizière were speaking at an event organized by the Initiative Wirtschaftsschutz in Berlin.

The threat of cyber attacks has recently come under increasing scrutiny, including the 'WannaCry' blackmail Trojan. The attack paralyzed several British hospitals and also hindered companies such as Deutsche Bahn and car manufacturer Renault. Computers were vulnerable to the attack because a software vulnerability that had been known for months had not been closed. Kempf said that his sympathy for those affected was therefore limited.

'WannaCry' also showed that a cyber attack can quickly affect all companies worldwide, said Allianz manager Hartmut Mai. Such attacks could "push the entire insurance industry to its limits", he warned. The industry offers insurance policies against cyber risks that cover both liability risks and the costs of business losses. However, the business is still in its infancy: according to industry estimates, income last year amounted to 50 million euros in Germany and 200 million euros across Europe.

The President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Hans-Georg Maaßen, called on companies to keep an eye on the possible radicalization of employees. "I expect from companies what I expect from every citizen: an attentive eye. If you see something, you should say something."