Municipal companies and critical infrastructures are in the midst of digital transformation. They have long since recognized the opportunity offered by modern digital applications: to counteract rising costs with efficient processes.
The prerequisite for this is a powerful and future-proof IT network infrastructure. This puts those responsible under great pressure: they have to upgrade existing systems to meet new requirements, often during ongoing operations – with a high demand for up-to-date technology but tight budgets for new IT purchases.
Nevertheless, press and association reports on devastating attacks have raised awareness of the increasing cyber risks for municipal enterprises. No company or institution can afford data theft, disruptions, and outages. This is all the more true where critical consequences are imminent because essential services are provided for society and the economy.
The proven network solutions from LANCOM ensure cyber security, maximum performance, and digital sovereignty. They meet the strict requirements for IT infrastructures in municipal enterprises and institutions belonging to the critical infrastructure.
Leaving behind proven analog methods is not always easy. Nevertheless, the legal requirements and guidelines surrounding the Digital Europe program and efforts for e-government are increasing, and international benchmarking and shortages of skilled workers are adding to the pressure.
LANCOM Systems has been a consultant, companion, and network technology supplier for critical infrastructures and municipal enterprises for many years and knows the lack of time and the uncertainties that go hand in hand with digitalization there. Maximum security, digital sovereignty, fail-safe systems, data protection, sustainability – LANCOM infrastructures combine state-of-the-art technology, work simplification, and all-round support in efficient, highly secure all-in-one solutions. Making digital transformation easy and carefree.
Broad range of tasks and great responsibility in critical infrastructures
There are thousands of municipal, state, and federally owned companies in each country.
They perform voluntary and mandatory tasks in many sectors and industries. They are pillars of the community, supply the population with water and energy, recycle waste, and enable mobility and education. This applies all the more to critical infrastructures – organizations that are essential to society and the economy and where failures or disruptions would lead to supply bottlenecks, threats to public safety, or other dramatic consequences.
Public institutions and municipal companies have experienced a strong surge in digitalization in recent years. The downside of networking is the growing interest of cyber criminals from all over the world.
Whether they paralyze citizens' offices, transport systems, or waterworks is often of secondary importance to hackers, as long as a ransom can be extorted by encrypting data.
How serious is the situation?
According to the report of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) “The State of IT Security in Germany in 2023”, an average of two attacks on local authorities or municipal enterprises using blackmail software were reported per month in 2023.1
Such incidents can affect entire communities and even specific sectors such as local public transport, tax offices, or public utilities.
If the city hall's ticket system doesn't work, this can be tolerated for a while – apart from the economic damage. When it comes to water and sewage, heating, the municipal hospital, or other critical infrastructures cyber attacks quickly become life-threatening.
NIS-2 for the protection of critical infrastructures
In response to the threat situation, a new version of the European Network and Information Security Directive, NIS-2, has been in force since 2022 and will be transmitted into national laws until October 2024.
With the completely new municipal waste disposal sector and new thresholds for the other sectors, the number of companies that must fulfill specific obligations, which are set for critical infrastructures, is increasing. This includes, for example, the implementation of state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and the reporting of incidents.
Cyber protection is also important outside of NIS-2 and critical infrastructures
Most municipal waterworks and waste disposal companies serve fewer than 500,000 inhabitants and therefore do not fall under the new regulations for critical infrastructures. However, it is in the companies' own interests to ensure that their IT infrastructure is as invulnerable as possible and that the supply to the population is guaranteed.
For good reason, municipal companies and operators of critical infrastructure do not have the necessary specialist staff for such complex tasks. In most cases, it makes more sense to buy in external expertise.
LANCOM networks: Digitally sovereign solutions for critical infrastructures and municipal enterprises
LANCOM Systems is your reliable European partner for the expansion and development of future-proof and completely secure IT infrastructures.
Compliance
- NIS-2 suitability analyzed by legal experts
- Fully GDPR-compliant and backdoor-free
- Compliance with European security standards through, among other things, the trust seal IT security made in Germany (TeleTrust)
- Numerous products with the BSI IT security label (German Federal Office for IT Security)
- Dedicated sustainability and CSR management
- Internationally confirmed compliance with directives and test standards
Digital sovereignty
- Modern, future-proof technologies such as Zero Trust, Wi-Fi 7, 5G, Machine Learning, etc.
- Hardware and software engineered in Germany
- Flexible interface variety for all connection requirements
- Backup and redundancy security for optimum failure protection
- Hosting of the network management cloud in Germany
- Trustworthy, backdoor-free products and solutions
- Self-enabling network management with intelligent support functions and own scripting options
- Training and support services
Industry experience
- Decades of experience with tendering procedures, stakeholder management, and approval processes in SMEs and the public sector
- Free training and support services with the LANCOM Infohub app, and our blueprint for the digitalization of public sector clients (German language only)
- Practical, easy to plan and implement solutions: From SD-WAN and SD-Branch, over large campus networks and modern remote access concepts, to industrial and outdoor Wi-Fi, and much more
- Maximum commitment with constant deadline and milestone monitoring and continuous assurance of technical functionality and project quality
- Successful implementation of numerous reference projects
Security and quality
- Unconditional GDPR compliance
- Compliance with NIS-2, BSI recommendations (German Federal Office for Information Security), and governmental IT security laws
- State-of-the-art next-generation UTM firewalls
- Backdoor-free hardware and software
- Software is based on a proprietary operating system and is developed in Germany
- Transparent, constant network maintenance in the product lifecycle
- IT security label of the BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security)
- Trust seal IT security made in Germany
- Many years of top ratings in user surveys such as the PUR IT Operations and PUR Security Solutions, Preferred Vendor, IP-Insider Readers Choice, Channel Excellence, ecoVadis Awards, and many more
Resource efficiency
- Cloud-based network management makes everyday work easier for IT network admins
- Simpler, centralized management and configuration of networks and devices
- Increase productivity by saving 75% of time with automation and support functions in the cloud
- Immediate return on investment: relieves IT staff, minimizes network disruptions, reduces travel expenses and much more
- Convenient remote control
- Wi-Fi automation and optimization with LANCOM Active Radio Control 2.0
- High scalability for secure business and network growth
State-of-the-art security for future technologies
Of course, the digitalization of municipal companies and critical infrastructures not only entails risks, but also offers great potential for development and optimization for cities and municipalities.
Big data analytics, smart technologies, and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing business models and processes. Network infrastructures from LANCOM offer all the prerequisites to use current and future technologies in public companies and institutions and to benefit from them securely.
Securely digitalized utilities
Digitally sovereign and secure cities
Independent and protected digitalized production and processing
We measure ourselves by the results. When it comes to society's essential services and assets, one should only use network equipment that is verifiably effective and secure.
You are therefore welcome to read our references, awards, and projects on NIS-2 and digital sovereignty to find out more about what defines LANCOM. Perhaps you will be convinced by the views of our customers, users, or cooperation partners.
Digitally sovereign and well-organized Ischgl
The municipality of Ischgl in Austria, with a population of 1,630, has learned how valuable a homogeneous, secure, and digitally sovereign IT network is in practice: With the LANCOM infrastructure and the help of Kufgem GmbH, the municipal schools, kindergartens, the municipal office, and the recycling and building yard, among others, were networked and are now technically managed with the LANCOM Management Cloud.
Vital reliability in disaster control
In disaster control, criteria such as constant availability and reliability of communications and Internet access quickly become vital.This is why LANCOM Systems has networked and optimally secured the operations control center, TEL units and the fire department operations center in Hunsrück in securely separated networks using redundant mobile radio routers and Wi-Fi components.
Protecting charitable aid appropriately
Support networks represent important values for every society. And these must be protected – ideally with equally secure and reliable IT networks. LANCOM and Netzlink Informationstechnik GmbH guarantee this for Kindernothilfe's diverse projects in 33 countries with over 340 partner organizations and around 1,000 volunteers.
NIS-2 consulting and support
The EU wishes to better protect its critical infrastructures and has tightened up the EU-wide Network and Information Security Directive, NIS-2. This means that not only more sectors now newly belong to the critical infrastructure, but also many enterprises. Find out now whether you are covered by the directive and prepare your IT network for it by October 2024.
We promote digital sovereignty in Europe
In recent years, many companies have become increasingly aware of how paralyzing international dependencies can be. With the index for digital sovereignty, LANCOM Systems has been working for years to ensure that companies know their own status – and is committed to providing appropriate solutions for more digital self-determination and the ability to act.
LANCOM solutions put to the test
In the end, no product or solution can survive if it is not convincing in practical use. That's why user ratings are ultimately the measure of all things – especially the long-term ones that test performance over many years. We are proud to have been able to impress with top performance in renowned user surveys for many rounds in a row.
Smart implementation of IT networks for municipal companies and public institutions
LANCOM solutions meet all legal requirements for security and data protection. They accelerate the installation, configuration, and commissioning of your IT network thanks to intelligent functions and remote options. The cloud-based management of networks, locations, devices, and security reduces the workload and thus the need for scarce specialists.
What are your next steps in expanding and building your IT networks? We are open to any questions and look forward to hearing from you!
Sources and further links
1 Report “The state of IT security in Germany in 2023”“, Federal Office for Information Security in Germany (BSI)
Thomas Wenderoth
VP Business & Market Development
thomas.wenderoth@lancom.de
Tel.: +49 2405 49936 258
Mobil: +49 151 17487525