SMESEC
Protecting Small and Medium-sized Enterprises digital technology through an innovative cyber-SECurity framework
Samuel Fricker
01 June 2017
01 May 2020
EC funded project
Introduction
Small and Medium size Enterprises (SMEs) are an important driver for innovation and growth in the EU. SMEs also stand to gain the most from innovative technology. Taking into account cyber-security, SMEs do not always understand all the risks and business consequences for the development of technologies without the adequate level of protection against cybercrime.
SMESEC proposes a cost-effective framework composed of specific cyber-security tool-kits to support SMEs in managing network information security risks and threats. It is important that SMEs do not only look at cyber-security as an obstacle, but also they understand the business opportunity beyond it.
Who is the project designed for?
The main objective of the project is to provide SMEs with a good, cost-effective and user-friendly solution for cybersecurity that both protects their assets and services, and also open new business opportunities. That way, the main target of the project is SMEs, both in private and public sector but more focused in the first one.
The main objective of the project is to provide SMEs with a good, cost-effective and user-friendly solution for cybersecurity that both protects their assets and services, and also open new business opportunities. That way, the main target of the project is SMEs, both in private and public sector but more focused in the first one.
Regarding horizontal markets, we focus in technology areas, more specifically in the ones that require security and privacy in their day-to-day basis. Among others, the ones we are currently focusing are IoT systems, smart cities, e-voting and smart grids. Other areas of interest we have identified are consumer electronics, smart manufacturing, connected health, etc.
How is your project benefitting the end-user?
SMEs will benefit by having access to tools for different cybersecurity needs, in an integrated and accessible framework. That way, SMEs will be able to fulfill their cybersecurity necessities and identified gaps by selecting to integrate/use the tools better fit their requirements. Additionally, SMEs will be able to benefit of the cybersecurity awareness plan and training provided by SMESEC, which is an important aspect for them as they usually do not have experts in cybersecurity.
Finally, it is important to mention SMESEC is being developed with special emphasis in being user-friendly, both at deployment level, working environment and information provided. Finally, due to the usual issues of budget restrictions of SMEs, SMESEC will be as budget-ready as possible so the larger number of SMEs can benefit of its benefits.
Please briefly describe the results your project achieved so far
SMESEC has already identified the cybersecurity and business gaps and necessities of the SMEs of the consortium and has done an analysis of the SME market focusing in technological aspects. These reports allowed us to define the objectives of the platform in technical, business and awareness aspects.
SMESEC has already identified the cybersecurity and business gaps and necessities of the SMEs of the consortium and has done an analysis of the SME market focusing in technological aspects. These reports allowed us to define the objectives of the platform in technical, business and awareness aspects.
Together with this, we have identified the main innovation that will be obtained in the project, bearing in mind the state of the art of the market, and defined the architecture of the cybersecurity framework, identifying how all the tools will interact for providing a secure and complete protection and the information to be provided to SMEs bearing in mind their required level of expertise.
What are the next steps for your project?
Currently we are working in adapting the existing cybersecurity tools to the requirements and gaps identified by the stakeholders, extending them in order to provide innovative functionalities, and working in the initial version of the general framework. In parallel, the pilots are being prepared for integration with the cybersecurity tools so feedback can be obtained as soon as possible for guiding the development of the framework.
Category:
- Operational risk, management and analytics
Vertical Category:
- ICT
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