Study Reveals Critical Dependence of Swedish Companies on American Technology, Raising Security Concerns

A recent study conducted by Proton exposes that 90% of publicly traded companies in Sweden heavily depend on American software, particularly U.S.-based email services, posing significant risks to the nation’s data sovereignty and security. This reliance surpasses the European average and is prevalent across various vital sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, hardware, technology, and critical infrastructure.

The study highlights that 91% of Swedish companies use American email providers, with 89% of pharmaceutical and biotech firms and 95% of hardware and technology businesses relying on these services. Similar dependency is seen in the energy sector and medical technology companies. Across the Nordic region, 92% of firms depend on U.S. providers, indicating a broader regional challenge compared to the European average of 74%.

Raphaël Auphan, COO of Proton, underscores that this dependency on foreign technology for essential communication and data operations poses serious national security threats, given that critical business functions are managed by external parties. Proton obtained data through DNS searches from publicly traded companies and stresses that Europe’s historical trend of purchasing technology from foreign companies rather than investing in its own sector has led to vulnerabilities that jeopardize digital autonomy.

Despite the concerning findings, Proton also notes a positive shift: registrations for its privacy-focused services have surged by over 100% in Sweden and 80% across the Nordics, reflecting growing awareness about data protection. Proton advocates for a "Europe first" strategy aimed at fostering local innovation and reducing reliance on foreign technology to secure Europe’s digital future.

Founded in 2014 by CERN researchers, Proton offers encrypted, privacy-centric internet services, including Proton Mail, which now protects over 100 million accounts globally. This study calls attention to the urgent need for Sweden and Europe to enhance investment in homegrown technology to safeguard economic sectors and national security.