Cybersecurity is a major issue for all companies \u2013 or at least it should be. Attacks usually mean losses: data loss, customer trust loss, and financial loss. In the case of energy plants, a regional blackout could occur. “However, there are a few steps before hacking,” explains Gerald Eder, one of solbytech’s managing directors. “Plant networks are thoroughly scanned to obtain information not only about the operators but also about all business partners with access, such as energy traders.” The security of large PV and wind plants is often inadequate, but operators face challenges as well. The plants are often widely distributed, requiring expensive personnel to reach them. Therefore, remote maintenance pays off. Solbytech aims to take advantage of this: “In our current project, we are working on a software-based security solution,” says Manuel Dorfer, also a managing director. “With ‘solbysecGuard,’ it will be possible to ensure the security of large energy plants remotely and without additional hardware. Our AI-based network traffic analysis will provide a flexible and efficient solution that has not existed before.”<\/p>\n
With this current project, the young company utilizes insights from other research projects, and innovation funding makes their work possible. Innovation Salzburg has long accompanied solbytech’s development. During development and market entry, Innovation Salzburg supported the three founders through the Startup Salzburg initiative. Since they have been active in the market, Innovation Salzburg’s service center has provided the right funding strategies. “Without the right funding, it would be difficult to carry out our research projects and take a leading role. Even at the start, we benefited not only from the money but also from the network we accessed through the support of Startup Salzburg,” emphasizes Eder.<\/p>\n