Research by HarfangLab shows that Belgian companies find digital sovereignty more important than last year.
More and more Belgian companies are reassessing their digital dependencies and placing sovereignty at the center of their cybersecurity solution choices. The HarfangLab State of Cybersecurity Report reveals that 71 percent of Belgian IT decision-makers consider digital sovereignty more important than a year ago. For seven percent, it is even the highest priority.
Companies Want more Control over Data and Infrastructure
Concerns mainly revolve around where data is stored, who has access, and under which legislation it falls. 70 percent of Belgian respondents say that sovereignty is now an important factor in choosing security technology.
In addition to sovereignty, strategic autonomy also plays a role. For instance, 27 percent of Belgian companies indicate that the ability to install solutions on-premise or in a self-chosen environment is an important criterion. For 24 percent, proven performance remains a decisive factor. According to HarfangLab, companies want more guarantees about hosting locations, infrastructure management, and legal frameworks.
Less Dependence on Foreign Suppliers
The report shows that Belgian companies not only want more control but also want to be less dependent on foreign suppliers. In Belgium, 60 percent of respondents believe that European companies are too dependent on foreign technology. Additionally, 57 percent are concerned about non-EU surveillance laws on their data. Therefore, 60 percent are open to switching to a European supplier.
A majority sees benefits in such a switch: 68 percent expect that European providers will better align with local regulations. 67 percent think these parties better understand the regional threat landscape. Although many companies still use hybrid or cloud-based cybersecurity, 39 percent expect to switch to an on-premise model within two years. This way, organizations aim to maintain more control over data, configurations, and threat detection.
The preference for on-premise is growing throughout Europe. In Belgium, 32 percent of IT decision-makers prefer to use on-premise EDR solutions. This stems from the desire to retain control over updates, infrastructure, and access. The shift towards more digital sovereignty thus appears to be a lasting trend in the Belgian and European cybersecurity market.