Following the hacker attacks in the municipalities of Rolle, Pro Velo, Saurer and Winterthur, Montreux has become the newest target. Cybersecurity expert and Dreamlab’s CEO, Nicolas Mayencourt warns that this is just the beginning.
"Small communities and SMEs have the biggest security gaps. All municipalities are directly linked via an electronic interface - also with the canton, which then links up with the federal government. So if criminals have the key to the geographic data, they will probably soon also have a key to the interface. You work your way up from the small to the big."
"Cybersecurity is very complex, time-consuming and expensive. With today's technologies, a simple IT consultant can no longer manage. Furthermore, our dependence on technology leads to a huge flow of unprotected personal data on the net. Cyberattacks are the new bank robbery - with higher returns and less risk."
The Swiss IT landscape is particularly vulnerable. The number of known, serious security vulnerabilities in Switzerland that we have identified at Dreamlab has doubled since 2019: back then it was 42,220, this year we are already at 113,780. In an international comparison, Switzerland lags far behind in the current global cybersecurity rankings.
Cybersecurity, even if it is expensive and complicated, must always be actively managed. Authorities and companies must become aware of it.
