Congratulations on 20 years of Endian! Looking back: What was the most significant technological development of your company?

Raphael Vallazza: Thank you very much for the congratulations! We launched our most important technological development on the market in 2011: an innovative solution for OT cybersecurity that allows machines and systems to be secured and remotely maintained centrally and scalably. At that time, we saw the urgent need for cyber security in the digitalized industry.

The foundation for our solution had already been laid earlier, for example with the decision to rely on open source for our cybersecurity solutions for IT and OT. In 2004, we recognized the potential of OpenVPN and integrated it into our solutions, and in 2013 we moved towards zero trust with the Endian Switchboard, even before this term even existed.

Is there an absolute 'bestseller' and what makes it so?

Vallazza : In the IT sector, the "Endian UTM Mini", which can be used to protect IT networks against a wide range of cyber risks. In the OT sector, it is the IoT security gateways "Endian 4i Edge 515" and its successors "Endian 4i Edge X" and "Endian 4i Edge XL". Our products are easy to use and can be managed centrally together with the Endian Switchboard. This has given us a major advantage, particularly in the OT sector, as we enable the central management of globally distributed networks, granular control of user authentication and authorizations and, with version 6 of our EndianOS operating system, edge computing using Docker is now also possible.

In 20 years, it hasn't all been rosy - what do you think was the most difficult time for the company?

Vallazza: You could say that. Endian is a self-financed and owner-managed company, so we know exactly what it means to manage the budget well and make the most of it. Our breakthrough came in 2008, when turnover almost tripled. We then invested a lot in sales and expansion too early. Then there were social issues that also brought with them a strong emotional component. I can only say that you learn something new every day. What counts is that we overcame four reviews, the Covid pandemic and all other crises. Crises are always opportunities, and we have restructured Endian step by step and turned it into the solid company it is today.

What is the roadmap for the next ten to 15 years?

Vallazza : 15 years is a very long time, but one thing is certain: cybersecurity will play an increasingly important role in society year after year. Endian now has all the prerequisites for solid and sustainable growth. With our IT and OT solutions, we offer exactly the right products and services to protect SMEs, industry and critical infrastructures. In the OT sector, the cycles are much longer than in IT and 15 years takes on a completely different meaning - there are machines that have even been in operation for 50 years or more.

With our roadmap, we want to create features and products that enable our customers and partners to focus on their own business and be secure at the same time. Cybersecurity must be a given, but it should not make user processes more difficult, but rather improve and facilitate them. Digital transformation is a basic prerequisite for successful companies of the future and without cybersecurity there can be no digital transformation, otherwise sooner or later company processes, production and therefore sales will come to a standstill. We see ourselves primarily as a cybersecurity partner for industrial companies and manufacturers who want to deliver secure machines and products, maintain them remotely and optimize them.

What technological trends do you see that are or will be important for Endian?

Vallazza : Digital transformation is the megatrend, and artificial intelligence in particular has been playing an increasingly important role recently. In our company, we are already using it in various areas and it brings with it great potential, but also great dangers. Attackers can also use it to cause damage to a company and the attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, which is why it is important to protect yourself.

The Zero Trust architecture is the answer to this challenge, according to the motto "Trust is good, control is better". Endian offers products and services to implement just such an architecture, which also complies with the IEC 62443 cybersecurity standard and simplifies its implementation.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge in the coming years, business and/or technical?

Vallazza: The biggest challenge is business. We have done our homework and our products and technology are advanced. We have seen strong growth in the OT sector in recent years and now we need to expand this and penetrate the market. With IEC 62443, NIS2 and the new machinery regulation, the need for cybersecurity solutions will grow strongly in the coming years - a great opportunity, but also a great challenge for Endian.

We have been working with successful industrial companies from the SME sector, the so-called "hidden champions", for over a decade. Now we want to establish Endian as a partner for leading industrial companies. This is the area where we can offer the greatest added value, where we feel comfortable and where we want to grow in the coming years.