EADS Cassidian are to create a new dedicated business, Cassidian Cyber-Security, entirely devoted to addressing the fast-growing cyber security market across Europe and Middle East, with an initial focus on Germany, the United Kingdom and France. By gathering together all of the cyber security expertise existing within the EADS Group, Cassidian Cyber-Security intends to establish itself as a key dedicated player in this market with substantial critical mass.

In order to provide appropriate responses to the specific demands of the French, British and German sovereignty, the business of Cassidian CyberSecurity will initially be entrusted to three dedicated national companies under the umbrella of a global cyber security organisation. These dynamic and agile structures will retain their strong national character and will enable the development of a circle of trusted partners in Europe in order to better serve governments, national agencies, strategic industries, and critical infrastructures, and to make the most of synergies between the countries.

Cassidian CyberSecurity’s portfolio of products and services is built upon three pillars:

Cyber Defence & Professional Services, aimed at providing high-level professional services (such as attack analysis and response, risk management, audits of security infrastructure architectures) and implementing operation centres dedicated to security supervision of Scada and IT systems. These security operation centres, enabling the provision of remote-operated cyber security services, will be based [initially] in the three launch countries of France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Trusted Infrastructure, for implementing national and European high-security trusted solutions and developing technologies (e.g. cryptography, digital identity management) in accordance with regulatory and national sovereignty requirements.

Secure mobility, to provide next generation security products and services for industry and governments in the form of mobile equipment (voice, data, applications) and deployable communication nodes.

Stefan Zoller, CEO of Cassidian, commented: “The creation of Cassidian CyberSecurity reinforces Cassidian’s strategy in security, in which it already has strong dedicated capabilities. This market segment is very dynamic and we expect significant growth.”

The cyber security sector is experiencing a dramatic rise in the number and level of sophistication of threats, covering attacks from nation states, through to terrorist groups, “hacktivists”, criminal gangs and more conventional hackers. In 2010, this market was estimated at €50 billion.