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Ziwit, a Montpellier company, protects CHUs free of charge against hackers

2021-02-25T06:46:40.771Z


Ziwit has released 15 million euros to help university hospitals that are victims of cyberattacks. An essential gesture of solidarity in this period of cries


Press articles from all over the world line the reception of the local Montpellier.

And others could soon be added: Ziwit, European leader in cybersecurity, has released 15 million euros to protect university hospitals that are victims of cyber attacks free of charge.

"There is no small star at the end of what we offer: we do not ask for anything in exchange", repeats Mohammed Boumediane, CEO of the company he founded in 2011, at only 23 years old, and which today counts among its customers Google, Adobe, Sanofi… And now several hospitals.

Because “a computer system that is attacked is the entire healthcare system that stops,” he explains.

And indirectly people who are in danger of death because of canceled operations, the lack of follow-ups or the impossibility of taking charge ... It is therefore almost an obligation for us, in times of health crisis and in as a recognized leader in our field, to try to provide solutions.

"

Already a hundred requests

Successful and applauded trial: positive comments have been pouring in for a week on social networks to salute the initiative.

Above all, in just a few days, the company has already received and processed around a hundred intervention requests.

An alarming need which confirms "the disarray and distress" of those responsible for IT security in university hospitals in the face of a growing threat, also notes Mohammed Boumediane.

“They suffer much more than one attack per week, affirms the specialist.

And are powerless to stop them because they lack the means.

But above all, we are not here to blame them or teach them lessons… They endure this situation in spite of themselves, without sufficient budget, and have already been under great tension for a year.

Aware of the danger, the government announced this Monday, February 22, the deployment of 350 million euros to strengthen the cybersecurity of hospitals.

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Taking advantage of their vulnerability, the attackers multiply digital assaults, with several objectives: theft of data to resell them or exchange them for cryptocurrency, redirection of the computer system to a surcharged number to benefit from it, demand for ransom ... that the development of teleworking, with the establishment of many often poorly secured networks, facilitates access to hackers.

In case of displacement, Ziwit takes care of it

Malicious actions can come from anywhere, in France or abroad.

And be carried out as well in a team as by an isolated individual.

“There is no typical profile of the hacker, summarizes Mr. Boumediane.

Some surely do not even realize what they are attacking and the dangers they can cause… All it takes is a badly locked front door to enter a system and then open other doors ”, warns the specialist. .

To limit losses, it is better to regularly make backups on an external hard drive that you then unplug, he breathes.

You must also always refuse to pay a ransom and, in the event of an intrusion, shut down the computer network without stopping the computers (to keep their data).

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When a hospital center is targeted, Ziwit experts - whose workforce is kept secret, like all company figures, "to avoid giving information to hackers" - analyze the computer park "in order to rapidly eliminate the most critical security breaches and vulnerabilities ”.

If the intervention requires travel, this is also covered by the company.

Team members have been affected or have lost loved ones

Beyond the skills, these missions result from the personal will of the team.

Because "many of us have been affected or have lost loved ones since the start of the pandemic," says Boumediane.

I myself lost my dad in November… This crisis has changed the way many people look at things and developed a less materialistic and more human aspect of society.

"

The 15 million euros committed by Ziwit in favor of CHUs come, in part, from the budget usually devoted to travel and trade fairs, which were very limited in 2020. “We could have donated this saved sum in dividends, but we prefer to act to give meaning to our action, says the CEO.

We believe that it is our role rather than to sit idly by in the face of this crisis which affects everyone.

"

Source: leparis

All news articles on 2021-02-25

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