Small and medium-sized Danish companies can now sign up for a free alert service offered by the Agency for Digitisation. The purpose of the service is to protect Danish companies against potential cyber attacks.
Cybercriminals threaten the IT systems of Danish companies, and small and medium-sized companies can be particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks. In 2021, more than one in four companies (28%) in the SME segment experienced a so-called IT security incident, and the Centre for Cyber Security assesses the cybercrime threat to Denmark is “very high”.
With the emergence of AI and increased digitization, it is expected that this threat could potentially increase and therefore the Agency for Digitisation has opened the opportunity for Danish companies to sign up for a free alert service, which will warn them about digital vulnerabilities.
The service alerts registered companies about the most common digital vulnerabilities in the most common software systems, thereby minimizing the risk of potential cyberattacks.
The alerts are sent to the registered companies in a weekly email and can be provided in either a detailed and more technical version for larger companies that manage their own IT security, or in a simpler and more straightforward version for smaller companies that have outsourced their IT security. Thus, the alert service can be a tool for any company that wants to enhance its security.
The new EU directive NIS2 strengthens the EU legal requirements for IT security and introduces the possibility of management disqualification in cases where management fails to fulfill their responsibilities as defined in the directive. The increased focus on management responsibility in the directive underlines the importance of companies prioritizing cybersecurity and preventing potential cyberattacks more than ever before.
The analysis “Digital security in Danish SMEs” from the Agency for Digitisation shows that 40% of registered SMEs have a “low level of digital security” and are therefore at greater risk of cyberattacks.
According to the report, the trend is clear; the smaller a business, the lower digital security. Small businesses in particular could benefit from the new alert service, as it can help prevent potential cyberattacks without additional costs for the company.
This article was first published by our Danish member firm Mette Klingsten Law Firm on 13 March 2024. For more insights on this topic or for employment related questions, please reach out to our representative Mette Klingsten.
