Data and system security

There are two sides to every coin. On the one hand, you are inundated with new technology and applications and it is unacceptable for you as a company or organisation to stay behind. On the other hand, all these new technologies — wireless power, augmented intelligence, virtual presence, behavioural economics, metaverse, etc. — entail new risks. And the rogue hackers know this only too well.

Anyone can become the target of a cyberattack. The Belgian military which can no longer send emails, higher education institutions whose networks are shut down, MediaMarkt which was the victim of a large-scale ransomware attack, hackers who stole Red Cross data. These are just a handful of recent examples that demonstrate the severity of cyberattacks in Belgium.

Will I ever be hacked?

In 2020, CERT.be, the operational service of the Centre for Cyber Security Belgium, received 7,433 notifications. For companies with 10–49 employees, the damage is around 17,000 euros. For Belgium, the highest cost of a cyber incident was 800,000 euros, according to an investigation by cyber insurer Hiscox.

And that is only the tip of the iceberg, because while cybercriminals are working on professionalising their “business” and cyberattacks have increased exponentially, the cybersecurity efforts of the majority of Belgian companies and governments seem to have stalled.

Do you leave the front door open? Or have you actually put one or more logical and physical safety locks in place? Or at least an alarm when someone tries to break in? The question is not: “Will I ever be hacked?”, but “When will I be hacked too?”

 Agile and prepared

People need to be aware that hackers use all possible information they can find in order to constantly optimise their way of working. Meanwhile, the security of the majority of Belgian companies and government bodies proceeds slowly. If you don’t constantly upgrade your systems, you are basically a sitting duck. In fact, effective security anticipates what’s coming. Even if no one can predict with certainty what that future will bring. In addition, you need to build your defensive walls more and more quickly, the attacks are becoming more complex and they focus on multiple goals at once. For example, a ransomware attack or hostage virus not only blocks access to your data, but also makes your service impossible and threatens to disclose “private” data.

What is strong security? That’s a good question. Until a few years ago, a strong password was sufficient. Today you must (!) combine that password with multi-factor authentication. No technology is waterproof. Does that mean you can never completely shield your company? Yes, but those who actually put the technology into practice make it difficult for hackers to strike. Just as important: be agile and prepared to react correctly. The race is never over, even if you are lagging behind. You just never stop preparing.

Step by step

Innovative and future-oriented cybersecurity is ready for what’s to come. Our experienced consultants do not have a crystal ball, but work with your experts on realistic (and feasible) scenarios for 2030. Step by step. Without using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Our message is unambiguous: just like hackers are becoming more ingenious and changing their tactics to continue to mislead victims, companies need to become more alert and change their mindset. They need to invest in technology, train their staff and develop processes in case they become the victim of a cyberattack.

Use our expertise as a sounding board and tailored to your company or organisation. After all, there is a whole arsenal of solutions. Doing everything at once is impossible. Time and resources are often limited. Moreover, the cost, complexity and risks covered by the solutions vary considerably. That is why our experts support their approach with a step by step plan with three maturity levels: “basic”, “due diligence” and “best practice”.