Syndis’s rise to fame
Syndis, a cybersecurity company, was originally founded in 2013 by a group of hackers. The founders of Syndis entered the field with a great deal of experience and initially focused on the offensive side of cybersecurity, meaning they would hack into various computer systems to identify vulnerabilities and report them to their respective owners. Their expertise in this area allowed the company to operate with success over the years.
In 2021, Origo, Iceland's largest IT provider, acquired Syndis (albeit keeping Syndis as an independent function in the organization). Anton, a long-time employee at Origo, and his unit were merged into Syndis under its brand name.
Since then, Syndis has continued to expand its operations – now employing around 50 professionals. The merger with Origo has allowed them to combine their expertise in offensive cybersecurity with Origo's extensive resources, creating a more comprehensive cybersecurity solution for clients.
How does Syndis operate, and why?
As previously mentioned, Syndis’s focus has been using offensive work to increase the defensive capabilities of its clients. But since Origo purchased the company, they have expanded their approach:
“Too often, companies don’t know they’ve been breached until it’s too late. Most of the time, when companies call out incidents, the attack itself occurred weeks or even months before it’s noticed. Although many do have security platforms and protocols in place in order to prevent this, the systems tend to be very siloed and lack around-the-clock monitoring.
Our solution is to provide Security Operations Center (SOC) services, such as 24/7 monitoring of systems and analysis of attacks and attack attempts, by merging our clients’ data into our platform so that we can take over that role and identify threats early”, Anton explains.
Today, everyone’s a target
The SOC (Security Operations Center) service has been available for several years, but it has traditionally been used by high-value targets, such as banks, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies, that have valuable data that can be exploited by cybercriminals for financial or political gain. However, in recent years, cybersecurity threats have become more widespread, affecting businesses of all sizes and industries. As a result, any company that holds valuable information is now at risk.
“If there’s a flaw or vulnerability in your system, people will find it and exploit it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a bank or any other high-profile company – everyone’s on the radar. A cybercriminal’s main goal is to get your information and use it as leverage, which means that any data worth protecting is under threat. This makes it essential for companies of any size to adopt SOC services into their operation,” Anton says.
By adopting SOC services, companies can monitor their networks and systems for any potential threats and respond to them promptly. SOC services can also provide valuable insights into security risks and help companies identify areas that need improvement to better protect their data. With the threat of cyber attacks on the rise, it is essential for all companies, regardless of size or industry, to prioritize cybersecurity and invest in measures such as SOC services to protect their valuable data and ensure business continuity.
New regulations put pressure on smaller businesses
“Today, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting smaller companies, such as contractors and third-party service providers, as they can be an easy entry point to the larger companies they are actually trying to access. By infiltrating the contractor, cybercriminals can gain a clear path into the targeted company's systems and data.”, Anton explains.
To counter this threat, new EU legislation has been implemented to expand the protection of critical infrastructure and the data of organizations and institutions beyond just larger companies. This legislation recognizes the importance of protecting the entire supply chain, including smaller companies, and aims to ensure that they have adequate cybersecurity measures in place. As Anton notes, this legislation serves as a wake-up call for many companies in EU countries and will likely lead to more regulations being put in place for smaller companies.
According to Anton, Syndis recognizes the critical nature of this new legislation and believes that all companies within the supply chain should apply their own security protocols and processes to ensure the protection of their data. By implementing effective cybersecurity measures, companies can reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and protect their sensitive information from unauthorized access and exploitation.
Syndis is opening an office in Sweden
According to Anton, Syndis is expanding their cybersecurity operations throughout Europe, with a focus on opening an office in Sweden. The reason for this expansion is that smaller organizations are increasingly in need of proper cybersecurity, but many larger companies in the field lack the will or capacity to help them. As a result, Syndis sees an opportunity to serve these smaller players by scaling their services down to best meet their needs.
By partnering with Syndis, smaller companies will have access to a specialized team of cybersecurity experts who can provide tailored solutions to address their specific needs. Additionally, Syndis can provide training and education to employees, which can help raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and ensure that everyone in the organization is taking necessary steps to protect the company's data.
While Syndis' office in Sweden may be empty at the moment, its opening marks the company's entry into the Swedish market and serves as an opportunity to raise market awareness for Syndis' services.
Do you want to know more about Syndis and our expansion into the Swedish market? Get in touch today and schedule a consultation with one of our cybersecurity experts. We’ll provide you with detailed information about our services, including our SOC service, and how we can help protect your organization from cyber threats.
