Search
Close this search box.

Author: Susanne Brøndberg

Categories
Cybersecurity News

Researchers work to strengthen Beumer’s baggage systems against cyberattacks

back to insights

10 December 2024

Researchers work to strengthen Beumer's baggage systems against cyberattacks  

Beumer, a Danish logistics giant with baggage handling systems in airports around the world, is particularly focused on the risk of cyberattacks. The company has now partnered with a team of researchers to develop the best defense against hackers.

Over the past year, many Danes have entered airports to go on vacation. In most cases, the trip goes smoothly, but a single cyberattack can turn the situation upside down.

Digital systems are the backbone of modern airport logistics, making them prime targets for hackers. If an airport’s logistics systems are hacked, resulting in delayed baggage, the impact goes beyond just frustration and flight delays. It also highlights serious vulnerabilities in the airport’s security, leading to significant financial losses for both the airport and airlines.

One of the companies committed to safeguarding against cyberattacks is Beumer, a Danish company with hundreds of baggage system experts based in Denmark. With 1,500 baggage handling systems installed in airports worldwide, the threat of cyberattacks has a high priority. As a result, the company has an intensive focus on cybersecurity, continuously enhancing its software to address new cyber threats.

“Cybersecurity is a key concern for our executive management. We are constantly working to improve the resilience of our systems to stay ahead of potential threats, and we are always upgrading the security of the systems we provide to our customers,” says Claus Riber, Senior Manager, Software Cyber Security at Beumer.

A new approach to securing IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly connecting physical products to the internet, including some of Beumer’s baggage handling systems. The advanced software tracks and monitors the real-time location of luggage, improving both efficiency and accuracy in baggage handling.

To stay ahead of cyber threats, Beumer is involved in the Secure Internet of Things project, supported by DIREC. The initiative aims to develop new methods for modeling and assessing cybersecurity risks.

A team of researchers is working to integrate a mathematical model into Beumer’s systems, automating the company’s risk assessments and ensuring its certificates remain up-to-date while complying with the latest standards.

“We want clear answers on the impact of our software decisions. Currently, the process is manual, time-consuming and based on many subjective judgements. We want to be able to tell our customers that our resilience is mathematically proven. That would give us a significant advantage in the market,” says Claus Riber.

A bike lock in cyberspace

The leader of the research team working on improving Beumer’s security is Professor Jaco van de Pol, a computer science expert at Aarhus University. Using the so-called ‘attack-defense trees,’ the researchers can model how hackers could potentially infiltrate the system, allowing Beumer to stay one step ahead.

“It’s about creating an overview of the hacker’s potential moves and calculating the effectiveness of the company’s defense. With the help of algorithms, we can determine the best defense strategy,” says Jaco van de Pol, adding:

“It’s challenging for many companies to know exactly which areas they should prioritize in their security budgets. With our method, we can provide specific estimates that guide vulnerable companies in the right direction. It’s similar to how a knowledgeable bike shop helps you find the right bike lock for your needs.”

Combining solid evidence with practical experience

By combing practical experience with theoretical depth, Beumer expects to be even better prepared for future cybersecurity challenges.

In the coming period, additional workshops will be hold with the research team and numerous discussions will take place about how to implement the researchers’ theoretical approach into Beumer’s daily operations.

“Solid scientific evidence doesn’t always take top priority in the commercial world. That’s why it’s exciting for us to gain insight into the latest academic knowledge and combine it with our hands-on approach in daily operations. So far, the project has saved us considerable time during the research phase, and we look forward to implementing the solutions,” concludes Claus Riber.

Read more about the project here. 

Categories
Health tech News

Visit from the minister: Danish digital research as a driving force

back to news

28 November 2024

Visit from the Minister: Danish digital research as a driving force

Artificial Intelligence and humans are better together than apart. On a sunny autumn day in November, Minister for Digitalization Caroline Stage Olsen and Chairman of the Health Committee in the Capital Region of Denmark Christoffer Buster Reinhardt got a first-hand look at CAMES, a simulation training center at Rigshospitalet. Here, DIREC had invited them to a talk about how the center is working to make Denmark one of the leading countries in Europe within digital research and innovation.

Thomas Riisgaard Hansen, Director of DIREC, shared three key recommendations with the Minister:

  1. Unite Denmark’s digital research and innovation ecosystem

    By aligning Denmark’s diverse initiatives, we can unlock powerful synergies that amplify efforts and multiply outcomes.
  2. Invest broadly in emerging digital technologies

    While AI dominates current focus, other transformative technologies may take the lead by 2030. Denmark must priortize AI development while fostering a broad base of innovation to ensure long-term growth and adaptability.
  3. Leverage Denmark’s unique strengths to drive growth and enhance public solutions
    Rather than emulating Silicon Valley, Denmark should build on its own research and industrial strengths to create distinctive successes. Strategic, targeted investments in these areas will deliver the greatest impact.
AI as a mentor in healthcare

The Minister was also introduced to a concrete example of how research, innovation, and entrepreneurship can converge. Professors Aasa Feragen and Martin G. Tolsgaard presented the Explain Me project, funded by DIREC.
 
This collaboration between researchers from DTU, KU and clinicians at CAMES explores how artificial intelligence can serve as a mentor for less experienced healthcare professionals. AI provides guidance to perform high-quality scans, reducing the need for advanced expertise.

Currently, significant disparities exist in the quality of ultrasound scans for pregnant women. Clinicians often struggle to identify high-risk pregnancies that require timely intervention. This highlights the need for standardized ultrasound quality across practitioners and hospitals.
 
By leveraging AI-driven decision support systems and explainable AI models, the project has achieved signifcant advancements in diagnosing high-risk pregnancies. For instance, the technology can detect nearly 25% more cases of premature birth risk — a condition that poses serious dangers to infants and is costly for the healthcare system.
 
The promising outcomes of the Explain Me project have led to the establishment of a spinout company, Prenaital, dedicated to commercializing this research and making it accessible in clinical settings.

Learn more about the Explain Me project here.
 

Categories
Cybersecurity News

From healthcare data to banking information: Researchers aim to share sensitive data for societal benefit

back to news

18 November 2024

From healthcare data to banking information: Researchers aim to share sensitive data for societal benefit  

Denmark risks missing out on significant societal advancements because large amounts of sensitive data cannot be shared across organizations. However, a team of computer science researchers has developed an encryption method that enables data to be shared and analyzed anonymously using machine learning.

Every day, companies, researchers, and institutions gather massive quantities of data that remain unused due to privacy concerns or competitive barriers. But what if this data could be anonymized and shared across organizations – for instance to accelerate breakthroughs in medical innovation or to dismantle criminal networks? Secure data sharing and encryption are crucial to turning this vision into reality.

In the Privacy and Machine Learning project, a team of computer scientists, supported by DIREC, has made significant progress toward a solution that lays the groundwork for more intensive data sharing to benefit society.

“There is great potential in using sensitive data to improve various sectors – for instance by developing more effective medicines or enhancing the detection of money laundering. The key is to develop encryption technologies that allow us to process anonymized data securely,” explains Peter Scholl, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Aarhus University and leader of the project.

Decentralized anonymization is the future

The primary challenge in sharing sensitive data lies in ensuring that privacy is maintained during processing. This is where multiparty computation (MPC) comes into play.

MPC is an encryption technique that allows multiple parties to share encrypted data while keeping their individual inputs confidential. This allows the participants to collectively analyze the data and access aggregated results without revealing the sources of the inputs.

“With MPC, we can process data that remains encrypted for all involved parties. No one can view another party’s data, yet they can still derive insights from the results and use them to create innovative products,” Peter Scholl elaborates.

In the financial sector, MPC could enable banks to collaborate on fraud detection by combining payment data without revealing customer identities or competitively sensitive information. Similarly, in healthcare, hospitals could access larger datasets if anonymized patient scans could be shared nationwide.

Striving for efficiency

MPC is not cost-free. Server capacity, power consumption, and other substantial investments play a significant role. Achieving the right balance between cost, security, and performance is a delicate challenge. The research team is also working to enhance the efficiency of encryption processes.

Hiraku Morita, a postdoc in computer science at the Universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus, is working to solve this challenge. In the paper MAESTRO: Multi-party AES using Lookup Tables, Morita and his research team introduce a new technique employing lookup tables optimize the required calculations and improve algorithmic efficiency.

“Most people can quickly answer questions like “what is five times five?” because they’ve memorized the tables or can recall them visually. Similarly, we can enable the algorithms to “remember” complex functions, reducing the computational and bandwidth demands,” says Hiraku Morita.

He adds that the technology has already sparked interest in the industry.

“Many companies have expressed interest in adopting our methods, but it often takes a long time to develop a protocol ready for commercial deployment. We anticipate seeing practical applications within the next few years,” Hiraku Morita concludes.

Read more about the project here.

Associate Professor Peter Scholl to the left and postdoc Hiraku Morita to the right

Categories
Diversity News

The forgotten women: Study highlights the complete absence of female role models in IT education

back to news

18 November 2024

The forgotten women: Study highlights the complete absence of female role models in IT education  

For the first time, researchers from ITU have examined gender representation in IT education at Danish high schools. Their findings revealed a striking absence of female role models in the teaching materials used in Denmark. The project has since received international recognition, and the researchers have presented their results at the ICER conference in Australia.

Melissa Høegh Marcher (to the left) and Ingrid Maria Christensen both have a Master of Science in Computer Science from ITU

When Melissa Høegh Marcher and Ingrid Maria Christensen began their master’s project at ITU, they had the sense that gender representation in IT education might be unequal at Danish high schools. However, the results of their research were more alarming than they anticipated.

Their analysis of HHX teaching materials uncovered a glaring truth: Not a single woman with association to IT was depicted in these materials by both name and image.

“In Denmark, we often assume equality exists in all areas of society, but we sometimes discriminate unconsciously – for example, through teaching materials that lack female role models. This study effectively exposes the hidden diversity challenges we face when educating the next generation, making it a truly unique contribution,” says Nanna Inie, Postdoc in Computer Science at ITU and co-author of the study alongside Claus Brabrand, head of Computer Science at ITU.

Firsthand insights

As women in a male-dominated field, the two newly graduated computer scientists understood firsthand the critical role female role models can play. Both had chosen to study computer science after attending an open house event at ITU where female students presented the program.

“I had never considered IT as a career, so attending the event was more for fun. But seeing a woman speak about IT with such passion had a huge impact on me,” says Melissa Høegh Marcher.

Ingrid Maria Christensen shares a similar story:

“It was the first time I saw women as developers, and I could suddenly relate to them. Without that experience, I’m not sure I would have chosen this career path.”

Melissa Høegh Marcher and Ingrid Maria Christensen at the ICER conference in Melbourne, Australia, focusing on education and IT.

Teaching materials revealed stark disparities

For their study, Melissa and Ingrid analyzed teaching materials from Informatik, a mandatory subject in HHX programs. They examined texts, images, audio, and videos to assess gender representation, focusing on pronouns, names, and role models.

The results revealed significant imbalances. In 66 materials containing pronouns, 64% were male, while only 19% were female. Of 98 materials mentioning names, 72% featured male names, compared to just 20% female. The most notable discrepancy emerged in the analysis of role models: all role models were men.

“It was unexpected to find such a complete absence of female role models in the materials designed to introduce young people to IT. It sends a message to girls that they might not belong in IT, which is a loss for everyone,” says Ingrid Maria Christensen.

“We know that diverse teams produce better outcomes. Therefore, it is essential that society ensures all genders see themselves represented in IT,” adds Melissa Høegh Marcher.

“Authors and publishers must take responsibility for including female role models and strive for a balanced representation, making the subject accessible to everyone.”

International recognition

The study’s findings have earned international recognition with the results being published in the paper Invisible Women in IT: Examining Gender Representation in K-12 ICT Teaching Materials.

This summer, the researchers presented their findings to a global audience at the ICER conference in Melbourne, Australia, which focuses on education and IT.

“We were surprised that no one had previously examined gender representation in IT teaching materials. It was a fantastic experience to meet other researchers and share our findings. We hope our research will inspire similar studies worldwide,” concludes Melissa Høegh Marcher.

You can read the full article here. 

Categories
Events

DIGITAL TECH SUMMIT

Meet us at

Digital tech summit

Bridging Academia and Industry

Digital Tech Summit is Denmark's largest deep tech conference and exhibition, and the unique annual meeting place for researchers from the country's universities and their partners from Danish industry.

  • Øksnehallen, Halmtorvet 11, 1700 København V
  • 5 - 6 November 2025
  • Organized by Denmark's universities and Ingeniøren

Digital technologies are transforming our society and industries at a rapid pace. Therefore, the primary mission of the Digital Tech Summit is to discuss these changes, provide the audience with insights into academic research environments, and their industrial collaborations.

Together with the editorial team of Ingeniøren and the universities, we have created a program that aims to offer both insight and perspective.

However, the Digital Tech Summit is much more than a comprehensive speaker program. It is also a meeting place for industry and universities. It offers students and companies an opportunity to connect and discuss career opportunities. Here, Danish startup environments meet politicians and representatives from the industry.

Categories
News

40 million DKK for the continuation of DIREC in 2025-2026

back to news

1 November 2024

40 million DKK for the continuation of DIREC in 2025-2026

On Friday, November 1, 2024, the government announced an agreement on the allocation of research funds for 2025. A total of 5.5 billion DKK will be distributed for research and innovation, including 40 million DKK specifically for the continuation of the Digital Research Centre Denmark (DIREC).

The government and the parties in the Danish Parliament have agreed to allocate 40 million DKK in 2025 to continue the DIREC through 2026. This initiative aims to advance world-class Danish research in digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, and to translate this research into value-generating applications of digital technologies for both the business sector and public administration.

Additionally, the initiative will promote coherence among stakeholders in the research and innovation ecosystem with respect to artificial intelligence, computing power, and quantum computing. It will also bridge the gap between computer science research and other disciplines, including social sciences and humanities. Ultimately, the initiative will help enhance Denmark’s digital competitiveness and the foster the adoption of artificial intelligence throughout the country. The funds will be allocated by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Professor Jan Madsen, a member of the DIREC board, has been involved in establishing the national research centre for digital technology, and he is enthusiastic about the new funding opportunities:

“This is great news and a recognition of the value that DIREC brings for both digital research and society. We can now ensure the continuation of the unique collaboration fostered through DIREC among the computer science environments of all eight Danish universities. This is crucial for Denmark’s role in the digital transformation.”

Board member Professor Helle Zinner Henriksen continues:

“It’s wonderful to see that the efforts in DIREC 1.0 have yielded results and led to increased opportunities for research communities across institutions and, importantly, across various academic disciplines to explore advanced technological solutions for significant societal challenges. Addressing these challenges demands a deep understanding of both technical and business aspects, which DIREC has successfully showcased during its first phase.”

“There is much discussion in Denmark and Europe about the challenges related to growth and innovation, but in DIREC, we are committed to action. We will build digital dream teams that span universities, research disciplines, businesses, and the public sector. It’s fantastic news that we can continue our efforts thanks to this new funding,” concludes Thomas Riisgaard Hansen, Director of DIREC.

Link to agreements on the allocation of the research reserve

FACTS
  • The agreements on the research reserve are the first sub-agreements of the finance act for 2025.
  • The government and the parties in the Danish Parliament have agreed on agreements that allocate 5.5 billion DKK for research and innovation. The funds are distributed according as follows:

    ◦ Ambitious and sustainable green research initiatives: 2.3 billion DKK
    ◦ Critical technology, security, and digitalization: 1.2 billion DKK
    ◦ Health and life sciences: 0.8 billion DKK
    ◦ Well-being, learning, and social cohesion: 0.1 billion DKK
    ◦ Free research and the talent base of the future: 1 billion DKK


  • The public research budget for 2025 amounts to 30.3 billion DKK, equivalent to 1% of GDP.
  • Neither the research budget nor the research reserve has ever been higher before. 
Categories
Cybersecurity News

eToro aims to win the Blockchain race with help from the universities

back to news

11 October 2024

eToro Aims to win the Blockchain race with help from the universities  

The trading platform eToro is making significant investments in collaboration with the academic world. Most recently, the company’s blockchain lab in Copenhagen welcomed a PhD student to help the company stay on top of the latest knowledge in cryptocurrency and blockchain.

Can one of the world’s leading trading platforms really find the time and resources to engage with academia? For eToro, the answer is a resounding “absolutely!”


The trading giant operates a blockchain lab in Copenhagen, where it continually tests the latest advancements in blockchain technology to remain at the forefront of innovation. As part of this effort, eToro has partnered with PhD student Henrik Axelsen from the University of Copenhagen through the DIREC-funded project AI & Blockchains for Complex Business Processes.

“We are committed to being leaders in blockchain technology and integrating it into our products. Staying ahead of the curve is crucial to us, which is why we maintain strong ties with the academic world,” says Omry Ross, eToro’s Chief Blockchain Officer, who also serves as a lecturer at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Computer Science.


DIREC resolved bureaucratic hurdles


eToro’s collaboration seeks to bridge the gap between industry and academic research, providing the company with new insights and driving innovation in blockchain technology.

“Knowledge is the currency that keeps us at the cutting edge of AI and blockchain. It is not just about improving our bottom line. It is also about contributing to broader understanding,” says Omry Ross.

However, accessing academic expertise is not always straightforward. Despite eToro’s enthusiasm for research, the company often finds it difficult to engage with researchers due to lengthy application processes and timelines. Fortunately, the streamlined process of the DIREC project allowed eToro to overcome these bureaucratic hurdles.


”Commercial companies typically need to move fast, but academia cannot always meet that demand. In the DIREC project, decisions were made very quickly, and the process was simple. I hope this approach becomes more common, because if it were easier to engage PhD students, we would do it far more often,” says Omry Ross.


Using cryptocurrency to tackle global inequality


eToro has currently 38 million registered users on its platform, where they can trade everything from individual stocks to cryptocurrencies. In the long term, the company also seeks to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, such as supporting the 1.3 billion people who currently lack access to traditional financial infrastructure. This was one of the reasons why eToro collaborated with PhD student Henrik Axelsen, who explored, among other things, how blockchain can help the financial sector.

“We believe blockchain can enable us to improve financial services, making them more efficient and better equipped to address issues like financial inclusion,” says Omry Ross.


An example of eToro’s dedicaton to this cause is the GoodDollar initiative, which aims to reduce global inequality by distributing a universal basic income (UBI) through the cryptocurrency GoodDollar. To date, this digital currency has been distributed to nearly one million people without access to a bank.

“The GoodDollar project hightlights how cryptocurrency can offer tangible benefits to millions of people excluded from the traditional financial systems,” Omry Ross concludes.


Interested in learning more about eToro’s involvement in academia and the “AI & Blockchains for Complex Business Processes” project? Find out more about the project here.

Categories
Cybersecurity News

When big data fails: Researcher from ITU unveils gaps in mobility data

back to news

10 October 2024

When big data fails: Researcher from ITU unveils gaps in mobility data  

GPS and cell tower data have become essential tools in shaping our society. However, these digital footprints often contain significant biases that favor some social groups over others. In a new project funded by DIREC, Associate Professor Vedran Sekara from ITU seeks to address biases in mobility data.

In today’s world, whether you are commuting to work or fleeing a crisis, travel cards and smartphones leave behind digital traces, that provide valuable insights into human movement. These mobility data, collected through interactions with cell towers and GPS satellites, serve as a powerful resource for decision-makers, urban planners, and health authorities. But what if these digital maps of human activity only reflect the experiences of some groups while overlooking others?
 
This is the central question posed by Vedran Sekara, Associate Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen. Over the past year, with support from the Digital Research Centre Denmark (DIREC), he has explored this issue in the research project “Understanding Biases and Diversity of Big Data used for Mobility Analysis.”

The hidden inequality in data

Today, mobility data is employed in a wide range of applications, from urban planning and epidemic tracking to disaster management. However, Sekara has identified alarming biases within the algorithms that process these data – biases he seeks to correct.
 
According to Sekara, most mobility data is skewed. In some datasets, he found that half of the mobility data is generated by the wealthiest 20% of the population, while only 5% comes from the poorest 20%.
 
“There are distinct patterns in smartphone ownership – typically, it is the wealthy, men, and the highly educated who possess them. As a result, women, the elderly, and children are significantly underrepresented in mobility data collected via phones. Despite this bias, these data are used to shape societal decisions,” Vedran Sekara explains.
 
The biases in mobility data are not just an academic concern – they have real world consequences for resource allocation.
 
“There is a significant risk that our efforts are disproportionately directed towards helping those who generate the most data, who are often the wealthiest and most powerful in society, while the needs of the poor are overlooked. During earthquakes or epidemics, we have seen that poor regions are less represented in the data, which could lead to fewer resources being allocated to them. Since we have better data for the wealthier areas, more aid is sent there”, says Vedran Sekara.

Searching for solutions

In his research project, Vedran Sekara and his team are working to develop new algorithms to correct these biases. However, the challenge is proving to be highly complex.
 
“We found that to correct these biases, we need to create specific models for each local area. Every area has its own unique biases, which means we can’t apply the same algorithms universally,” says Vedran Sekara.
 
With DIREC’s support of 500,000 DKK, Vedran and his team have published several articles on the subject. The project has also opened doors for additional funding, potentially enabling further research on biases in mobility data.
 
“DIREC’s support has been invaluable. They have provided the necessary funding to explore the problem on a smaller scale, laying the groundwork for larger projects in the future. DIREC has truly been a catalyst for this research,” concludes Vedran Sekara.
 
All data used in Vedran Sekara’s research is pseudonymized, in compliance with both European and American data regulations.
 
Learn more about the project here.

Categories
News Researcher spotlight

Danish researcher shapes the future of machine learning at Harvard

back to news

23 September 2024

Danish researcher shapes the future of machine learning at Harvard  

In recent years, the Danish researcher Emil Njor has emerged as a pioneering figure in the field of TinyML. At Harvard University, he has contributed to the development of a new generation of datasets for local machine learning models, capable of processing data in an environmentally sustainable way and without the need for an internet connection.

Imagine a future where artificial intelligence is no longer confined to powerful data centers or advanced computersnbut is embedded in everything from coffee machines to industrial sensors. This scenario could become a reality with the rise of TinyML, enabling advanced AI models to run on small devices without internet connectivity.

One of the leading figures in Danish TinyML research is PhD student Emil Njor from DTU. As part of the DIREC project “Edge-based AI Systems for Predictive Maintenance,” he is working on developing machine learning models that are so compressed and efficient that they can operate on very small computers – far more robust than systems dependent on both an internet connection and cloud services.

“When I first started at DTU, hardly anyone knew about TinyML. Today, there are three or four PhD students working in the field, and interest has exploded because it allows us to make devices intelligent without needing the internet or large amounts of energy,” says Emil Njor.

AI without the cloud

Emil Njor’s passion for TinyML is driven largely by its environmental advantages. Efficient local computers can help reduce resource consumption, making devices less reliant on continuous data communication with cloud servers.

“I’m trying to take a different approach from the large machine learning models that consume a lot of resources. Instead, we are trying to trim optimize models so they use fewer resources and can run more efficiently on small devices,” he says.

As an example, he points to weather stations that use microphones to measure rain or detect wind speed, rather than relying on traditional moving parts, which are prone to breaking.

“This is a highly sought-after solution, especially in developing countries where accurate weather data is scarce, and traditional weather stations are costly to maintain.”

Advancing technology at Harvard University

During his PhD, Emil Njor spent time at Harvard University, where he collaborated with American researchers to refine datasets and publish new studies to advance TinyML research.

“The datasets we’ve been using for years are often small, error-prone, and not reflective of real-world conditions. At Harvard University, we created a dataset that is 100 times larger and has significantly fewer errors than previous ones,” Njor explains.

Looking ahead, Njor sees vast potential for TinyML, particularly in applications where fast and reliable responses are needed without an internet connection. Self-driving cars are another excellent example.

“Cars need efficient sensors that can function without the internet, and TinyML can provide the processing power needed for quick reactions — for example, if a pedestrian suddenly crosses the road. This technology can make a real difference in practice, and that’s what motivates me,” concludes Emil Njor.

Interested in learning more about Emil’s work with TinyML? Explore the DIREC project Edge-based AI Systems for Predictive Maintenance.

Emil Njor, PhD student, DTU Compute

Watch the video: TinyML Talks: Introducing Wake Vision – A New Era in High-Quality Datasets for Tiny Machine Learning with Emil Njor

Categories
Cybersecurity DIREC opinion News

Tech and defense stakeholders: Strengthened collaboration between research and defense can turn cybersecurity into a business venture

back to news

18 September 2024

Tech and defense stakeholders: Strengthened collaboration between research and defense can turn cybersecurity into a business venture  

Denmark has a unique opportunity to double its current revenue in the cybersecurity sector while enhancing its resilience against hybrid threats, according to Lars Bo Larsen from the National Defense Technology Center, Thomas Riisgaard Hansen from DIREC, and Peer Heldgaard Kristensen from Security Tech Space.

It is now widely recognized that a hybrid war is being waged against both military installations and civilian targets, including critical sectors such as energy and transport.

As one of the most digitized countries in the world, Denmark relies on digital systems in areas ranging from transportation, energy providers, to hospitals. This makes us particularly vulnerable unless we develop a robust cyber defense against this growing hybrid warfare.

The risks became evident earlier this summer when GPS signal interference forced the rerouting or cancellation of flights. We have also seen cyberattacks on Danish utilities that almost paralyzed services like electricity, water, and heating, a crisis averted only by switching to manual operations.

To safeguard both critical military and civilian infrastructures, we need a cyber shield to defend against such threats. This includes ensuring secure data sharing between military and essential societal units, establishing reliable communication channels, and detecting potential cyberattacks.

An enormous potential

To achieve this, it requires the government to invest more in cybersecurity and to educate significantly more people with cyber skills than we do today. However, the field also holds a tremendous economic potential, which could become Denmark’s next major business success.

We have the potential to double the revenue of the Danish cybersecurity industry revenue to DKK 13 billion, while simultaneously making Denmark more resilient to cyberattacks.

The IT and cybersecurity sectors are already crucial contributors to the economy. Currently, the cybersecurity industry employs just over 10,000 people, representing ten percent of the entire IT workforce. But the sector could expand significantly, driven by the increasing need to protect our digital infrastructure.

New regulations, including the EU’s NIS2 directive, and hightened political focus on defense and preparedness, will create a growing demand for cybersecurity professionals. A recent report from Deloitte estimates that reaching an acceptable level of cybersecurity will require four to five times the current number of employees, not just within the IT sector, but across other industries as well.

A call for targeted efforts

The good news is that Denmark already has the frameworks and a well-established cybersecurity ecosystem to build on.

There is strong collaboration among businesses, government agencies, organizations, and research and educational institutions. However, this collaboration has primarily concentrated on digital security in businesses. We now need to elevate cybersecurity to a broader societal and commercial priority.

This requires a focused effort. Therefore, we propose that the government allocates DKK 20 million annually to cyber research and establishes a new dual-use program that bridges defense and research community.

Although Denmark’s cybersecurity industry may be small on the global stage, it excels in several areas. These include cutting-edge cryptographic methods that can protect our data from future quantum computers, as well as AI-driven surveillance algorithms capable of detecting anomalies, faults and cyberattacks.

We also have algorithms that allow data stored in the cloud to be processed without exposing it to hackers. This represents a significant growth opportunity, particularly for export, if efforts are directed towards developing products and services for both the defense and civilian sectors.

Read the full article on Altinget.dk

The aim of DIREC is to expand the capacity within research, innovation and education in digital technologies in Denmark. In addition, DIREC shall contribute to the competitiveness of Denmark through collaboration with Danish businesses and the public sector on developing new innovative products and services based on the newest digital technologies.

DIREC is partially funded by Innovation Fund Denmark.

 

© 2021 All Rights Reserved

Contact info

  • If you want to get in contact with us please contact
    Managing Director Thomas Riisgaard Hansen.

    DIREC – Digital Research Centre Denmark
  • Aabogade 34, 8200 Aarhus N
  • thomas.r.hansen@direc.dk

Newsletter signup