#brnoregion – a place where cybersecurity giants are born

Technology advancements have made cyber incidents and attacks more complicated and sophisticated, resulting in the emergence of technologies to protect against them. Antivirus and firewalls, once considered sufficient, no longer provide the comprehensive protection required to secure computer networks. Recent innovations in cybersecurity include solutions to protect against data loss or theft, websites from DDoS attacks, and monitor network traffic to detect anomalies. There’s quite a list of products that ensure cybersecurity – let’s take a look at the ones that we boast about here in #brnoregion.

AVG: Czech pioneer of global computer security  

This Brno-based antivirus company has been safeguarding computers worldwide for over three decades, making them practically synonymous with the term. AVG Technologies was acquired by Avast Software in 2016, which later merged with NortonLifeLock six years later to form Gen Digital. Despite these changes, AVG continues to uphold its mission of protecting households and businesses from cyber attacks.
 

Slovakia-based Eset is also worth mentioning here. Both built on technology developed in #brnoregion, Eset and AVG make up 40% of the global antivirus market.

Flowmon and GREYCORTEX: Experts on network security

Monitoring an entire network infrastructure is a complex part of a cybersecurity architecture, where machine learning, network visibility, and anomaly detection play significant roles.

 

Progress Flowmon has been offering a wide range of products for network security since its establishment as a Czech spin-off company called Invea-Tech in 2007. Thirteen years later, it became a recognized Flowmon brand with customers in over 40 countries worldwide. Kemp Technologies from the USA noticed and acquired the company in 2020, only to be acquired by Progress two years later.
 

GREYCORTEX is also a notable player in this field. Named after the famous Brno giant, its product Mendel uses behavioural analysis to learn how networks typically operate. It visualizes all the elements in the network and their interactions, allowing it to detect any anomalies that could indicate weaknesses in the infrastructure or the initial stages of a cyber attack. In the Network Detection and Response (NDR) category, its position is particularly strong in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland, with customers in almost twenty countries worldwide.

Safetica: Preventing potential loss of sensitive data

Jakub Mahdal first came up with the idea to protect sensitive data when he lost a USB drive containing some business data. He started developing solutions to secure sensitive data and established Safetica in 2007 which is now a major player in endpoint DLP (data loss protection), represented in over a hundred countries all over the world. Safetica technology monitors all data outputs from end devices to protect organizations from potential loss of sensitive data, proprietary knowledge, or breaches of internal policies.

ThreatMark: Protecting your finances

ThreatMark specializes in protecting banks and insurance companies from the fraudulent activities of cyber criminals. Its product utilizes behavioural analysis based on mouse movements and keyboard typing to detect any fraudulent acts during online banking sessions. The company was founded in 2015 by three penetration testers with extensive experience in corporate and banking cybersecurity. Today, ThreatMark is recognized as a leading brand in Online Fraud Detection by the globally renowned research company, Gartner. 

Runecast: Analysing virtualized environments 

Runecast Solutions was founded in 2014 by six partners with extensive experience in the VMware virtualization platform gained in the Brno branch of IBM. Their product provides analysis for virtualization and cloud environments, enabling vulnerability management and ensuring compliance with security standards. Although the company's headquarters are now located in London, its development centre remains in Brno.

Whalebone: Zero trust security 

The zero trust cybersecurity approach is based on the belief that every user, device, or application within a network is potentially under threat, and each request or access to IT systems requires verification.  

Whalebone, a rapidly expanding start-up, leverages the zero trust approach to protect end users of telecommunication companies, internet service providers, and other organizations. The company's solution filters DNS traffic, allowing it to automatically notify users if they are about to access a dangerous website.

Since its establishment in 2016, Whalebone has been praised for its innovative approach to cybersecurity, with Forbes dubbing it "another Avast" in 2020. Today, Whalebone protects millions of people from cyber attacks every day without disrupting their digital lives. Furthermore, Whalebone's selection to lead the development of a new DNS infrastructure for the EU is a significant achievement. 

GoodAccess: Smart company VPN 

GoodAccess is a company that develops a smart cloud VPN for small and mid-sized companies, with a part of its team based in Brno. The VPN is designed to help companies provide secure access for their employees working remotely, without compromising on security. 

KERNUN: New generation of firewall 

Trusted Network Solutions is a Brno-based cybersecurity company that offers a wide multi-tiered range of services, including ICT consulting, IT administration, penetration testing, security analysis, and security design. Its KERNUN system is particularly noteworthy as it employs behavioural analysis, similar to other products mentioned earlier, to provide modern firewall technology that offers comprehensive network security to counter external threats.

Phonexia is another notable company in #brnoregion that focuses on cybersecurity. Its unique speech technologies can identify the speaker's identity, which enables the detection of fraudulent activities in various systems.

Research & infrastructure

Three prominent Czech universities – Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, and Czech Technical University in Prague – also have expertise in cybersecurity. In 2020, they founded the CyberSecurity Hub in Brno, which promotes cooperation and collaboration within the cybersecurity field. The institute facilitates engagement among individuals and companies from various sectors, hosting workshops and panel discussions covering diverse topics related to cybersecurity. The Cybersecurity Hub also offers security audits, vulnerability testing, and guidance to improve cybersecurity in different organizations.

 

The CyberCampus supports the concentration of cybersecurity activities in Brno, including the already acquired national and international support and cooperation. This concentration makes the city more attractive as a centre of cybersecurity education – both for experts and for emerging talents. A symbol of the Czech Republic’s self-confident approach to building a resilient digital society, the CyberCampus in #brnoregion gathers key subjects, authorities, activities, and infrastructure in one place.