Das neue IT-Sicherheitsgesetz – Erweiterte Pflichten für Betreiber Kritischer Infrastrukturen

Germany is one of the world’s industrially and technologically most advanced countries. One of the pillars of this leading role is its dense and well-developed telecommunications network. It allows for the close interlinking of all areas of modern infrastructure. Constantly increasing numbers of cyber-attacks against the IT systems of private companies and the public sector, on the one hand, and a generally heightened level of awareness for the potentially devastating consequences of a failure of critical IT systems for the economy and the public welfare, on the other hand, have prompted the German legislature to pass a new IT Security Law on June 12, 2015. This client alert offers an overview of those provisions of the new law that are most relevant for private companies. In particular, “Operators of Critical Infrastructure” may be required to substantially invest into their IT security.