By: Håkon Berntsen
Introduction
In a digital age where cyber security is more important than ever, the company Protectia has marketed its services to Norwegian companies. Several people have reacted to the company's approach and claims. Nettsak has therefore investigated the case to give companies a better basis for assessing the offer from Protectia.
Protectia's approach: Aggressive marketing and misleading claims
It all started when an InfoDesk customer received an email from Protectia offering ID protection and security services. The customer forwarded the email to InfoDesk for consideration. The next day, the undersigned, who has 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.
What the conversations had in common was:
- Alleged collaboration with well-known web hosting companies such as one.com and ProISP.
- Claims of protection of creditworthiness and that credit checks can damage this.
- References to the NIS2 Directiveclaiming that their services are necessary to meet new requirements.
- Dark Web monitoring offer, presented as a unique and necessary service.
Analysis of Protectia's claims
1. Collaboration with one.com and ProISP
Protectia claims to cooperate with one.com and ProISP. Upon contact with these companies, no one has confirmed such collaboration. This raises questions about the legitimacy of Protectia's marketing.
2. Dark Web monitoring
Protectia offers "Dark Web monitoring" to detect data leaks. While this may sound advanced, it often involves searching public databases of known leaks. Services such as Have I Been Pwned offers similar functionality for free. Presenting this as a unique service can be misleading.
3. The NIS2 Directive
The company refers to the NIS2 directive as a reason to buy their services. NIS2 is an EU directive that sets stricter cybersecurity requirements for critical sectors such as energy, health and transportation. Most Norwegian SMEs are not directly affected by this directive. Using NIS2 as a selling point can therefore be misleading.
4. Credit check and creditworthiness
Protectia claims that credit checks can damage a company's creditworthiness. In Norway, standard credit checks do not affect a company's credit score in a negative way. This claim can create unnecessary fear and is not in line with how the credit system works in Norway.
What is the NIS2 Directive?
The NIS2 Directive is an EU directive that aims to strengthen cybersecurity in member states. It requires critical sectors to implement robust security measures and to report serious security incidents.
Sectors covered by NIS2:
- Energy
- Transportation
- Banking and finance
- Health
- Digital infrastructure
- Public administrations
Most Norwegian SMEs 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 to companies
- Do thorough research: Always check the background of the company contacting you. Read reviews and search for testimonials.
- Verify collaboration: Contact alleged partners directly to verify such claims.
- Understand your needs: Don't be pressured into buying services you don't need. Consult with internal IT managers or external experts.
- Read it in small print: Review offers and contracts carefully before committing.
- Seek independent advice: Get an unbiased third-party assessment of what security measures your business actually needs.
Conclusion
Nettsak wants to encourage Norwegian companies to be critical of offers that use aggressive sales methods and misleading information. It is important to base decisions on correct and relevant information, especially when it comes to something as important as cyber security.
Do you have experience with Protectia?
We want to hear from you! Share your experiences by contacting us at kontakt@nettsak.no or leave a comment below the article.
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Keywords: Protectia, cyber security, NIS2 directive, Dark Web monitoring, credit checks, corporate protection, IT security, Nettsak, one.com, ProISP.
English 
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