Nettsak warns against Protectia: Can you trust their security services?
By: Håkon Berntsen Introduction In a digital age where cybersecurity matters more than ever, the company Protectia has been marketing its services to Norwegian businesses. Several...
By: Håkon Berntsen
Introduction
In a digital age where cybersecurity matters more than ever, the company Protectia has been marketing its services to Norwegian businesses. Several have reacted to the company's approach and claims. Nettsak has therefore investigated the matter in order to give businesses a better basis for assessing Protectia's offering.
Protectia's approach: Aggressive marketing and misleading claims
It all started when a customer of InfoDesk received an email from Protectia offering ID protection and security services. The customer forwarded the email to InfoDesk for assessment. The following day, the undersigned, who holds roles in the companies MediVox, InfoDesk and ZecureCode, was contacted by three different salespeople from Protectia. All of them spoke Swedish and presented similar offers, but with varying details.
The calls had the following in common:
- Claimed partnerships with well-known web hosting companies such as one.com and ProISP.
- Claims about protecting creditworthiness and that credit checks could harm it.
- References to the NIS2 Directive, with the claim that their services are necessary to meet new requirements.
- Offers of Dark Web monitoring, presented as a unique and essential service.
Analysis of Protectia's claims
1. Partnership with one.com and ProISP
Protectia claims to have partnerships with one.com and ProISP. When contacted, neither company confirmed such a partnership. This raises questions about the legitimacy of Protectia's marketing.
2. Dark Web monitoring
Protectia offers "Dark Web monitoring" to detect data breaches. While this may sound advanced, it often amounts to searching public databases of known breaches. Services such as Have I Been Pwned offer similar functionality for free. Presenting this as a unique service can be misleading.
3. The NIS2 Directive
The company cites the NIS2 Directive as a reason to buy its services. NIS2 is an EU directive that imposes stricter cybersecurity requirements on critical sectors such as energy, healthcare and transport. Most Norwegian small and medium-sized businesses are not directly affected by this directive. Using NIS2 as a sales argument can therefore be misleading.
4. Credit checks and creditworthiness
Protectia claims that credit checks can harm a company's creditworthiness. In Norway, standard credit checks do not negatively affect a company's credit score. This claim can create unnecessary fear and is not consistent with how the credit system works in Norway.
What is the NIS2 Directive?
The NIS2 Directive is an EU directive aimed at strengthening cybersecurity across the member states. It requires critical sectors to implement robust security measures and to report serious security incidents.
Sectors covered by NIS2:
- Energy
- Transport
- Banking and finance
- Healthcare
- Digital infrastructure
- Public administrations
Most Norwegian SMBs are not directly affected by the NIS2 Directive. It is therefore important to understand what the directive entails before making decisions based on it.
Recommendations for businesses
- Do thorough research: Always check the background of the company contacting you. Read reviews and search for mentions.
- Verify partnerships: Contact the claimed partners directly to confirm such claims.
- Understand your needs: Don't let yourself be pressured into buying services you don't need. Consult with your internal IT staff or external experts.
- Read the fine print: Go through offers and contracts carefully before you commit.
- Seek independent advice: Get an objective assessment from a third party about which security measures your business actually needs.
Conclusion
Nettsak wants to encourage Norwegian businesses to be critical of offers that come with aggressive sales tactics and misleading information. It is important to base decisions on accurate and relevant information, especially when it comes to something as important as cybersecurity.
Do you have experience with Protectia?
We want to hear from you! Share your experiences by contacting us at [email protected] or leave a comment below the article.
Nettsak is dedicated to providing up-to-date and reliable information about technology and security. Follow us for more news and tips.
Keywords: Protectia, cybersecurity, NIS2 Directive, Dark Web monitoring, credit check, business protection, IT security, Nettsak, one.com, ProISP.
