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Leonberg, September 27, 2023 – It has often been in a company's IT systems for months, spying on data and processes: Spyware and malware usually infect systems unnoticed. Erik Sterck, Managing Director of Leonberg-based system house Erik Sterck GmbH, calls for greater awareness of threats from the internet at management level. SMEs in particular are at risk. Erik Sterck GmbH has now been recognized for its work as "Cyber Recovery Partner of the Year 2023" by data security specialist Rubrik.
The perfidy and full extent of cyber attacks of any kind often only becomes apparent when it is already too late: "Cyber criminals usually know exactly what they are doing. The intruders often spy on the company unnoticed for months and wait for the moment when an attack is most opportune," says Erik Sterck. Depending on the type of attack, data is encrypted or, in the worst case, deleted. The attack is usually accompanied by a ransom demand. Dealing with this requires careful consideration: "The official line, which is also supported by the German government, is never to respond to ransom demands. But small companies in particular find themselves in a predicament here: the alternative to paying a ransom is to replace the entire hardware and software, which is also a major financial burden," says Sterck about the dilemma faced by those affected.
Long-term damage cannot be averted
In the end, the question will be whether to invest a large sum in ransom money or new IT. However, the long-term consequences of a cyberattack are far more serious. Regardless of whether a ransom is paid or not, the company's sensitive data is in the hands of the criminals and will be sold on in any case. What remains is the enormous loss of reputation and trust, which can sometimes be more damaging for the attacked company than the actual attack. The strain on employees caused by a cyberattack should not be underestimated either: "If the worst comes to the worst, IT departments work around the clock, even at weekends. This puts a huge strain on employees, which can be fatal, especially in times of shortage of skilled workers. Waves of resignations and sickness are not uncommon in this state of emergency," says Erik Sterck. A cyberattack therefore has far greater consequences than are apparent at first glance.
SMEs too carefree
Medium-sized companies in particular can face existential hardship in the event of an attack on their IT infrastructure. And the focus of criminals is by no means only on large or internationally active companies. Regardless of industry or size, all companies are equally affected by attacks from the internet. "SMEs are generally aware of cyber threats. At the same time, preventive measures in this area are neglected at management level, often under the motto 'Nothing has happened to us yet'. This attitude can have fatal consequences," says Erik Sterck, pleading for more attention in this area.
Award-winning in cybersecurity
Erik Sterck GmbH has been recognized for its achievements in the field of cybersecurity as a partner of leading international data security specialist Rubrik. "We are particularly pleased that, as a German system house, we have set ourselves apart from competitors from all over the world and received the global award from a worldwide market leader. This is encouraging for the path we have taken so far and motivating for the future," says Erik Sterck. The award is presented once a year.
Caption: Erik Sterck, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Erik Sterck GmbH. Source: Erik Sterck GmbH
About Erik Sterck GmbH
The owner-managed Erik Sterck GmbH was founded in 2014 and is one of the most distinguished system houses in Germany. With three locations in Leonberg, Munich and Cologne, Erik Sterck GmbH provides highly professional, individual and partnership-based advice in the entire data center environment and in cloud computing services. The service portfolio is divided into two areas.
In the data center sector, Erik Sterck GmbH represents a holistic, manufacturer-independent consulting concept. The services cover consulting, planning, delivery and implementation of data center equipment, servers, storage, converged infrastructure and cloud services. Erik Sterck GmbH has a particular focus on cybersecurity.
In the second service area, DevOps, the focus is on automation. Customers receive comprehensive advice on operation services covering everything from improvements of IT processes to fully automated operation stacks. Requirements in the area of containerized infrastructure environments and Kubernetes are often the subject of current projects. In this way, Erik Sterck GmbH keeps the IT departments of its customers' backs free so that they can concentrate on their core tasks again.
In total, the company supports over 170 customers from all industries, primarily in the German SME sector. Erik Sterck GmbH has received numerous awards for its work, most recently the Rubrik Global Award "Cyber Recovery Partner of the Year" (2023), Arctic Wolf Networks "Partner of the Quarter" (2023) and Nutanix "Best Technical Partner" (2020).
Press contact
Isabelle Hübner
echolot public relations
Mobile: +49 160 6192247
E-Mail: huebner@echolot-pr.de
