March 18, 2026, 11:59 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Many people can share an anecdote about it, while for others, the mere thought is a nightmare: getting stuck in an elevator. To prevent this, they are regularly inspected. However, the operators themselves are also responsible. In particular, elevators have needed to be fortified against cyberattacks for some time. In a recent report, TÜV draws a negative conclusion on this matter.
Elevators at Risk from Cyberattacks
In many everyday situations, using an elevator is unavoidable. Therefore, they should operate with particular reliability and safety. And as more systems become digitized, operators have been required for several years to secure elevators against cyberattacks, as the TÜV Association explains in a press release.
The fact that this issue has gained more attention recently is no coincidence. After all, cyberattacks and hybrid attacks occur regularly “against the backdrop of geopolitical crises,” as it further states.
“The threat of cyberattacks on networked building technology systems is very real,” said Dr. Joachim Bühler, managing director of the TÜV Association. “Manufacturers and especially operators should take cybersecurity seriously and fulfill their obligations. By doing so, they contribute to the resilience of the technical infrastructure in Germany.”
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TÜV Draws a Negative Conclusion
According to the current report, however, many elevator operators do not seem to be fulfilling this obligation. In 2025, 64.7 percent of all inspected elevators had “minor defects”—an increase of 4.2 percent. This “sharp rise” is primarily attributed to “deficiencies in the cybersecurity” of the elevators.
But even beyond potential digital threats, the state of elevators in Germany is not good. Of 723,270 inspected systems, 10.8 percent had “significant defects,” and 0.8 percent even had “dangerous defects.” About 3,000 had to be shut down because there was a “danger to life and limb” and no immediate solutions to fix the problems. Along with other defects, in 2025, three out of four elevator systems (or 76.3 percent) were faulty, marking a historic high.
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Politics Should Take Action
To ensure regular inspections in the future, TÜV desires less bureaucracy: “Safe technical systems are necessary to protect the population and maintain supply in times of crisis,” Bühler said. “However, it is necessary to simplify the regulatory requirements for inspecting systems that require monitoring without lowering the safety level.”
The current Operational Safety Ordinance (BetrSichV) is said to be complex and difficult to understand. Therefore, a simplification of the requirements and processes has been initiated. The new ordinance has already been formulated and discussed with all parties involved. Now it’s up to the federal government.