Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity for the World in Greater Zurich

Cybersecurity has grown to be one of the world’s most important areas of technology. Switzerland, particularly the Greater Zurich Area, plays a leading role in the field. ETH Zurich has one of the top five teams in the world in the field of cybersecurity and the Crypto Valley offers an innovative scene of small and mid-size companies involved in researching solutions for safer data processing. The highly qualified technical work force and the high quality of life are bonus factors to companies domiciled in the Greater Zurich Area. What success story would your cybersecurity company like to write from Switzerland?

Data is considered tomorrow’s gold. Almost all sectors work with and process data, which must be protected from attacks, loss and misuse. The amount of digital data has multiplied exponentially and spread to all corners of the world. New demands from digital change trigger new concerns about data security. Good businesses use security service providers to create solutions. Even the small companies need cybersecurity - whether on a small or grand scale. These days, commerce and business must protect their electronic systems from virtual attacks, hackers or even internet terrorists. As a result, cybersecurity has become one of the most important areas of technology.

CyberSchweiz - Security technology in Greater Zurich

Switzerland, particularly the Greater Zurich Area, plays a leading role in the field of cybersecurity.
In general, the region offers great growth potential with its well-known multinational corporations as well as small and mid-size companies. Switzerland is a small, flexible and independent country with innovation and a very high standard. The Zurich economic region is a renowned location for information technologies. The nearby federal technical university (ETH) and good cooperative efforts put the location at a high level of development with regard to modern technologies. Both professors and doctoral candidates as well as students work closely with businesses in the Greater Zurich Area while researching innovations in safety technologies and data security. Trust, of course, plays a central role, because handling and hosting sensitive data are reinforced these days online in a cloud and Switzerland is a preferred host country. In addition to these aspects, which speak to Switzerland as a host country and for the Greater Zurich Area in cybersecurity, clear laws, the high level of education among employees in the IT sector as well as the economically profitable infrastructures also factor in. Switzerland has clear data protection regulations. Any company that chooses a Swiss host for its data security should have no concerns about unauthorized access. According to Switzerland Global Enterprise, the country-wide initiative digitalswitzerland confirms neutrality and has utmost value for the quality of data security. Digitalswitzerland set the goal of making Switzerland one of the leading digital business locations in the cybersecurity industry, among others.

Cyber Engagement in Zurich

Zurich plays a significant role in cyber engagement through international, regional and local trade associations such as the Institute of International Finance (IIF), Insurance Europe and the Swiss Insurance Association. In addition, Zurich is an active member of the Geneva Association and the Center for European Policy Studies. Members here are involved with political development as much as with organizational and societal issues. This strengthens the relationships in the area of cybersecurity, for example, in the USA, Great Britain, Europe and Switzerland. Expert discussions with the Agency for Cyber Security in the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) also make up a part.

Security Made in Switzerland

Manufacturers of hardware and end units play an increasing larger role in security packages. Swiss companies, such as Securosys, have a good reputation internationally for security and quality. The Made in Switzerland label represents a clear competitive advantage for quality, functionality and reliability.

Even the encryption of mobile phones is particularly good in Switzerland, because small companies, like spin-offs from ETH Zurich, offer peak technologies. ETH has one of the top five teams in the world in the area of cybersecurity. The cross-industry Zurich Information Security & Privacy Center (ZISC) was established back in 2003. The team tirelessly researches optimal solutions for cybersecurity. According to Switzerland Global Enterprise, by 2020 there should be 200 jobs in the field of cyber defense along with a heightened awareness of cyber immunity and defense. The collaboration between businesses, authorities (military) and the Swiss universities is a core piece of the Action Plan Cyber Defense (APCD).

Network security as the biggest field of cybersecurity

The biggest cybersecurity field in Switzerland is network security.
According to Switzerland Global Enterprise, there were 1,106 patents from Switzerland, 151 of which are classified as top-impact patents, in 2017. A recognized center of expertise in the area of Internet Governance with central Internet Society organizations, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Secretary of the Internet Governance Forum are all located in Geneva. More than 50 percent of the global internet activities are domiciled here.

The president of the Swiss software company Acronis, John Zanni, also sees the advantages of the Greater Zurich Area and confirmed in an interview with Switzerland Global Enterprise, that the international headquarters was successfully established in Schaffhausen in the Greater Zurich Area in 2008. The Greater Zurich Area also benefits from international companies, multilingualism and a high standard of education. Experts are created as a result.