Protection against cybercrime for Lower Austria's municipalities

“Digitalks on Tour” informs: How companies can integrate AI applications into their everyday work

In our digital world, modern and citizen-oriented community work is no longer possible without digitalization. However, we must not turn a blind eye to the risks, because extremely sensitive data is involved, especially at the administrative level. Together with the House of Digitalization, we are therefore implementing a wide range of measures in Lower Austria to raise awareness of cyber threats among the population, businesses, and also the administrative sector and municipalities, and to network them in order to prevent attacks," said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.

Johannes Pressl, President of the Austrian Association of Municipalities, and Rupert Dworak, President of the Association of Social Democratic Municipal Representatives in Lower Austria, are also convinced of the importance of target group-specific information events on the topic of cybersecurity: “The latest attacks on municipalities and institutions, as well as current crime statistics, underscore the importance of awareness-raising and prevention measures on the topic of cybersecurity in all areas of life. In Lower Austria alone, there was a 9.7 percent increase in cybercrime last year.”

The aim of the Cybersecurity Day for Municipalities was to raise awareness of cyber threats in a municipal context and to communicate effective prevention strategies.

After a welcome by ecoplus Managing Director Helmut Miernicki and an introduction to the topic by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, Austrian Association of Municipalities President Johannes Pressl, and Lower Austria GVV President Rupert Dworak, Martin Merka gave an exciting and informative presentation.

Focus on cybersecurity at the House of Digitalization

Since 2021, ecoplus Digital has been committed to supporting companies, the administration, and the people of Lower Austria in the area of “IT security prevention” as part of the Lower Austrian flagship project House of Digitalization. Thanks to a wide range of offerings such as online guides, webinars, legal advice, workshops, and its own district cybersecurity tour, around 1,500 people were reached last year alone.

The House of Digitalization will continue this focus on cybersecurity in 2024 with numerous measures. For example, a joint district tour with the Ministry of the Interior, the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, KSÖ, and IV Niederösterreich will stop in Zwettl (April 25, 2024), Amstetten (May 16, 2024), Hollabrunn (September 12, 2024), and Mödling (October 17, 2024). Interested companies can register via their respective WKNÖ district office.

ecoplus Digital Managing Director Claus Zeppelzauer, Austrian Association of Municipalities President Johannes Pressl, Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner, Lower Austria GVV President Rupert Dworak, ecoplus Managing Director Helmut Miernicki, ecoplus Digital Managing Director Lukas Reutterer