Raphael Vallazza, CEO of Endian, takes a look at the year ahead, the emerging challenges and opportunities in cyber security and the role of AI and digitization in the future of the business world.
Raphael, what are your expectations for 2025?
I am very positive about 2025. We have done a lot in the past year to make Endian fit for the expected growth by establishing new structures in the company. This is already paying off: Last week, we won two exciting projects with system integrators, which I believe are a preview of what we can expect in the coming months. I am convinced that demand will continue to increase massively.
Of course, the economic conditions are challenging. The coronavirus crisis has intensified many problems that should have been addressed much earlier. The low-interest phase was not used to make sustainable investments. Companies that actually no longer have a future were kept alive instead. We are now seeing the consequences: The number of insolvencies is rising rapidly because many businesses were only kept going by short-term measures.
In Italy, the national recovery plan plays an important role, which is accompanied by a major investment program in digitization and other areas after the crisis. A lot of money is being spent here, but there is often a lack of a clear strategy for the time beyond. I expect an economic crisis to be imminent, but crises always offer opportunities. For Europe in particular, this could be the last chance to grow together and not break apart. A divided Europe could become a pawn in the rivalry between the USA, China and India.
How has the cyber security situation changed in the last year and what can we expect in the next 12 months?
The complexity of cyber security poses major challenges for many companies. There are a lot of different tools that can only be used effectively with a high level of expertise. At Endian, we focus on simplifying processes to help companies use their security solutions efficiently. At the same time, we see that regulation is becoming increasingly strict. This is also related to the coronavirus crisis: At the time, the EU recognized how vulnerable our supply chains are and how closely companies are interlinked.
Increasing regulation is important in order to take responsibility and not hold others accountable for any damage caused by cyber attacks. Of particular note is the Cyber Resilience Act, which affects all companies. In the near future, the EU Machinery Regulation will also become relevant, which will have a major impact on machine manufacturers and the industry as a whole.
Another major topic is the implementation of the NIS2 Directive. It has already been converted into national law in Italy, but this is still pending in Germany. We hope that the law will be passed quickly, because only then will companies start to invest seriously in cyber security.
What role does AI play in cyber security?
AI is fundamentally changing the cyber security landscape. Attackers can now launch much more sophisticated attacks as AI automatically searches for vulnerabilities and develops the appropriate software for an attack. Phishing attacks will also be harder to detect in the future as AI gets better at writing like a human.
On the other hand, AI can also be used for defense. At Endian, we are already using AI to detect attacks at an early stage and quickly take countermeasures. Another area of application is the automation of device configurations to improve the security architecture.
How well prepared are companies for these challenges?
The awareness of cyber security exists in principle, but there is still a lot of catching up to do, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Many of these companies cannot afford the sophisticated security solutions that are often required for larger companies. This is where we come in: Our aim is to provide advanced security solutions for SMEs that are easy to use, powerful and affordable.
Another major challenge is external partnerships, for example in the area of remote maintenance. These complex relationships must be secured through clear and granular network segmentation and a precise distribution of roles and authorizations.
What does Endian offer companies to meet these challenges?
A key issue for companies in the context of digitization is the secure networking of IT and OT (operational technology). This can only be achieved with a holistic solution that takes both areas into account without compromising security. Our Secure Digital Platform, which we want to focus on more strongly in 2025, offers precisely this solution. It consists of several components - from gateways and management tools to solutions for endpoint connectivity - and provides everything that companies need for secure and efficient digitization. At the same time, we attach great importance to simplicity.
How does Endian ensure security in data communication between machines and systems?
A central security principle at Endian is segmentation. We create small, isolated segments that can still communicate with each other. These segments do not allow any connections from the outside to the inside because attackers could use this communication path as a route of entry. To ensure security, the systems within a segment establish the connection from the inside to the outside. This is made possible by running Docker on a gateway within a segment and sending the data from the inside to the outside. This solution works in both the IT and OT areas and enables companies to implement their digital business models securely.
What does Endian want to work on in 2025?
For us, the Endian ecosystem is an important part of the future. It includes not only our solution partners who extend our platform, but also companies that build new solutions on top of it. We are also working on defining our business partners more clearly in order to further intensify our collaboration with OEMs, channel partners and system integrators.
System integrators and managed service providers are an increasingly important area for us. With the edge computing functionality implemented via Docker, we can expand our platform in such a way that companies can offer scalable, standardized services. This will enable us to move from the project business to a model-based approach.
| Conclusion: |
| The year 2025 will be both challenging and full of opportunities for Europe and its businesses. Increasing digitization, the growing threat of cyberattacks and stricter regulations are creating new challenges for many companies. At the same time, however, these developments also offer the opportunity to emerge stronger from the crisis through innovative security solutions and close cooperation within ecosystems. |