THE RESILIENCE CODE: From Vulnerability to Resilience - How Technology Can Promote Security and Defense in Europe
Since its foundation on 22 January 1893, the VDE has stood for knowledge, progress and safety. Its roots go back to the 1870s, when Werner von Siemens recognised the enormous importance of electricity – and at the same time the ‘lack of order and correction’. Technology should not grow in a disorderly manner but should become safe and reliable through normative rules. An association with an organising and corrective function was created. Today, the VDE is the largest technology organisation in the European Union.
This founding DNA of the VDE continues to have an impact today. For the VDE, safety has never meant merely avoiding technical errors but rather creating trust in new technologies. In an age of highly networked, complex and failure-prone systems, however, classic safety is no longer sufficient. What is needed is resilience – the ability of technical systems and infrastructures to withstand disruptions, adapt and quickly return to full functionality.
The shift towards resilience is therefore not a new chapter for the VDE, but rather the logical continuation of its original mission: to design technology in such a way that it remains reliable, trustworthy and sustainable for a stable and free society.
Social resilience as the basis for democratic stability and inner strength as a prerequisite for freedom and the rule of law
We are at a turning point – and many people in Western democracies still refuse to acknowledge it. While military capabilities have been scaled back in many European countries during the years of peace – especially since the fall of the Iron Curtain – it is something else that makes us vulnerable as a society today: the sometimes lacking social determination to stand up to aggressors and attackers of our democracy with resolve and determination.
Russia's current attack on Ukraine is not only directed against territory in Ukraine. It is directed against our minds, our trust and the internal cohesion of our democracies. With hybrid warfare, targeted propaganda and systematic disinformation, the puppet masters in Moscow are attempting to undermine citizens' trust in the ability of democratic institutions to act. The target is clear: to sow doubt, divide societies and discredit democracy.
Some people are like that frog in the water – the temperature in the pot rises slowly. Because it does not boil suddenly, because there is no loud bang and no visible explosion, the frog stays put. It doesn't notice that the danger is growing – until it's too late. Hybrid warfare works in the same way: insidious, gradual, subliminal. A manipulative narrative here, a targeted piece of fake news there. A little more mistrust. A little more polarisation. No single event seems alarming enough – but taken together they change the climate of our democracy.
However, a society that does not recognise that its way of life is under attack will not defend itself. A society that mistakes disinformation for opinion and manipulation for debate will not be resilient. And without resilience – without inner strength – we will not be able to meet the challenges of the coming years.
Deterrence does not work through weapons alone. It works through attitude. Containing aggressors such as Russia means being prepared to pay a price. That price is high, and it is already due today: in rising defense spending, economic burdens and political priorities. Those who want security and resilience must accept that both tie up resources. Those who want to preserve freedom cannot pretend that it comes free of charge. There will be conflicts over distribution – despite the possibility of the Federal Republic of Germany taking on more debt. There will be uncomfortable decisions. But the alternative is not comfort – the alternative is weakness. And weakness invites aggression.
Without the support of society, state security forces cannot fulfil their mandate. Without trust in democratic institutions, no state can guarantee security in the long term. Resilience is therefore not an abstract term from strategy papers – it is a prerequisite for governments to remain capable of acting at all.
That is why honesty is needed. Politicians and all those who bear responsibility for Germany and Europe must clearly state what is at stake. Hybrid warfare is real. Disinformation is not a marginal phenomenon, but a strategic tool used by our opponents. And ultimately, it is about more than geopolitical spheres of influence. It is about our democratic form of government. It is about the rule of law. It is about freedom. It is about the way we live and how we want to live. We must not be like the frog that stays put because the water is not boiling yet. We must stand up before it is too late. Resilience begins with awareness. Resistance begins with clarity. Defense begins with the willingness to stand up for one's own democracy.
In addition to the social resilience described above, resilience is a key success factor for technical systems, organisations and infrastructures.
In view of increasing complexity, interconnectedness and external disruptive factors – such as cyberattacks , climate change, geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, terrorist attacks and supply chain risks – it is no longer sufficient to consider security, reliability, quality, training, awareness and material and personnel provisioning in isolation. Instead, a holistic, forward-looking approach is needed that systematically takes into account the resilience, adaptability and recovery capabilities of technical systems.
The VDE's activities in the area of resilience are not merely an additional topic. They are a logical next step in the further development of the VDE's role in an increasingly uncertain and dynamic world. They provide orientation, strengthen the impact of existing activities and position the VDE as a central authority for future-proof technical systems.
For the VDE, the topic of resilience has clear strategic relevance:
1. Design requirements and responsibility
As a recognised leader in rule-setting, standardisation, testing, certification and technical expertise, the VDE has an overall responsibility to define and help shape resilience as an integral part of modern electrical engineering, electronics and information technology – rather than simply responding to external requirements.
2. Cross-cutting issue with high connectivity
Resilience connects existing VDE core areas such as functional safety, cybersecurity, sustainability, systems engineering and risk management. A planned approach creates a common framework, prevents isolated solutions and increases the coherence of VDE activities.
3. Relevance for politics, business and society
Regulatory initiatives (e.g. KRITIS, the Cyber Resilience Act and supply chain legislation) demonstrate the growing demand for resilience. The VDE can act as a competent intermediary between technology, regulation and application, offering practical guidance.
4. Added value for members and partners
A clearly defined approach to resilience opens up new services, such as guidelines, regulatory and standardization initiatives, testing and certification approaches, training opportunities, and platforms for interdisciplinary exchange. This strengthens the VDE's attractiveness and future viability.
5. Early positioning instead of reactive adjustment
Without coordinated planning, there is a risk that resilience will become fragmented, inconsistent, or defined by external actors. A strategic approach enables the VDE to set priorities early on and actively shape developments.
