For years, the concept of a “IT blackout” was associated with extreme scenarios: unlikely mass failures, incidents that “happen to others,” or specific issues that are resolved with a restart and patience. That mental framework is changing. According to the Tech Barometer 2025: a snapshot of Spanish tech SMEs, developed by Hiscox, 81% of tech SMEs in Spain believe that an IT blackout poses a serious threat to their business. In other words: disruptions to digital services — whether due to infrastructure failure, cloud interruptions, or third-party incidents — are now on the same risk level as traditional security threats.
This insight is significant for a tech-focused outlet because it places operational resilience at the center of the discussion: it’s not just about “defending against attacks,” but about continuing to operate when the tech stack fails. And the most interesting point is that the report describes an ecosystem where fear of a blackout doesn’t displace cybersecurity; instead, it reinforces it. In the threat hierarchy, cyberattacks still lead (82%), even surpassing Artificial Intelligence (80%) and supply chain risks. It’s a risk map that suggests an uncomfortable conclusion: tech SMEs don’t only fear hackers; they also fear the systemic fragility of their digital dependencies.
The new “enemies”: from ransomware to dependency chaos
The barometer paints a picture of broad exposure. Besides the 82% that see cyberattacks as the main threat, it highlights factors that, in practice, blend into real incidents: delays, failures, or abandonment of projects (79.4%); intellectual property breaches (78%); insufficient investment (77%); and data loss due to human or technical errors (75%).
To understand this from a technological perspective: an “IT blackout” isn’t just about power or connectivity; it’s also a chain of failures that starts with a dependency (cloud provider, identity, DNS, endpoint, updates), escalates with lack of observability, and ends with hours of unavailability and improvisational decisions. In this scenario, an SME isn’t competing solely on product; it’s competing on uptime, response capacity, and damage control.
How are they responding: more controls, insurance, and internal muscle
Company reactions combine prevention, organization, and financial coverage. The report shows that the most adopted measure is bolstering internal controls and procedures, chosen by 50.38% of SMEs. Nearly half also opt for taking out specialized insurance (45.11%), reflecting a growing awareness: some events cannot be prevented 100%, but they can be absorbed without jeopardizing continuity.
Meanwhile, the report emphasizes the human element. Strengthening teams becomes a priority for 42.11%, complemented by training and awareness (39.10%). An “engineering” approach also appears: investing in hardware and software and conducting periodic audits (34.59%). Organizational moves like internalizing certain activities (33.08%) or outsourcing them (27.07%) to increase capacity or expertise are also part of the strategy.
From an external viewpoint, this pattern aligns with what many IT leaders already experience: as risk exposure grows, three decisions accelerate. First, standardize processes (to avoid improvisation during crises). Second, buy time (with insurance, agreements, or vendors). And third, strengthen internal skills or rely on third parties to fill gaps.
Everyday issues amplifying the risk
The barometer also grounds the debate in reality: daily obstacles. The main operational concern is cybersecurity, data loss, or digital failures (19.3%), but very close is concern over market saturation and price pressure (17.3%), which practically reduces the margin for investing in security or modernization. Additional concerns include delays and late payments (16%), internal frictions like lack of system integration (12%), talent shortages (10%), and bureaucracy (8.7%).
This is the core of the issue: it’s not enough to simply “want to be resilient” if the business operates on tight margins, with lean teams, and poorly integrated systems. In this context, a blackout — or an incident perceived as such — can be less a technical crisis and more a management crisis: slow decisions, untracked dependencies, and recovery without a plan.
Optimism… with conditions: SMEs want to grow but know what’s at stake
Despite the outlook, the report shows a surprisingly optimistic sector: 96% consider themselves “very” or “extremely” confident about the future, and 59.3% plan to slightly increase their staff. Moreover, 88.7% perceive some support from public actors, and 50% participate in business networks, with DigitalES (32.7%) being the most prominent.
Hiscox interprets that digitalization is reshaping the risk pyramid and that cybersecurity is no longer “a cost,” but a factor for viability. Nerea de la Fuente, Director of Underwriting at Hiscox Iberia, highlights that fears of a blackout are “real and deep,” but also emphasizes that, with appropriate measures and a preventive culture, the sector is positioned to capitalize on its growth.
What technical teams should read between the lines
For the tech media, the practical message is clear: the “blackout” serves as a metaphor for the new perimeter. If protecting the server and backups was enough before, now continuity depends on distributed components: identity, endpoints, SaaS providers, networks, automation, and response capacity. In this reality, the question isn’t whether incidents will occur, but how long they last, what impact they have, and how prepared the company is to operate during recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an “IT blackout” and a traditional cyberattack?
An IT blackout typically describes a general outage (system crashes, cloud service failures, third-party errors, or chain failures). A cyberattack is malicious in intent, but both can result in the same outcome: critical services offline.
What “quick” measures can a tech SME implement to reduce the impact of a blackout?
Inventory dependencies (vendors and services), verify backups, develop a continuity plan with clear responsibilities, implement monitoring and actionable alerts, and conduct regular recovery tests.
Why is interest in specialized digital risk insurance growing?
Because many incidents lead to costs that are hard to absorb (downtime, restoration, assessments, communication, potential liabilities). The report shows that 45.11% of SMEs choose insurance as a financial layer.
What signs indicate that an SME is vulnerable to a digital blackout?
Poor system integration, reactive processes after incidents, dependence on few providers without alternatives, lack of drills, and overburdened teams without time for preventive maintenance.
via: hiscox