The Dark Side of Data Science - an Empirical Study of Cyber Risks in German SMEs

Abstract Digitization brings new opportunities for companies. One of the most important topics is the possibility of better evaluating old data or generating new data. Data Science and especially Data Analytics can help here. However, it is often forgotten that connecting the company to the Internet also involves risks. In the area of data generation and data analysis, SMEs are not yet up to par with large companies, as they have fewer financial resources and trained employees. These relationships have been well researched. This article deals with the area of conflict between data science and cyber security in German SMEs based on an empirical study from 2019.