Vodafone: Cyber security for SMEs

The German mobile communications provider Vodafone has opened a new cyber security center in Düsseldorf. More than 100 IT experts will work from there to protect small and medium-sized enterprises in particular from digital attacks.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly falling victim to cybercrime - often at weekends and on public holidays. The team at the new headquarters has set itself the task of closing gateways for attacks, identifying threats at an early stage and minimizing damage in the event of an emergency. In addition, Vodafone will offer training tools for companies and businesses so that they can sensitize their employees to online risks.

“We are democratizing cyber security for all companies in the country,” explains Hagen Rickmann, Business Director for Vodafone Germany's corporate customer business. Many small and medium-sized companies are largely at the mercy of online risks as they rarely have their own IT experts. "This is exactly where we want to help so that these companies are not left to face the risks of digitalization alone. Only then can they make the most of their opportunities," says Rickmann.

According to recent studies, 47 percent of all business risks in Germany can be attributed to attacks from the internet. On average, German companies are attacked around 1200 times a week - more than half of these attacks affect SMEs. After an incident, it takes an average of 21 days for business operations to be fully restored. This can threaten the existence of many smaller companies.

Featured photo: Vodafone