Berlin sets up hotline for cyber-security attacks

The hotline is aimed at businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, which often lack the capabilities to protect themselves

Last Wednesday, Berlin launched its first-ever cyber security hotline. The hotline is operated by the city’s Digital Agency (Digitalagentur Berlin) and is aimed at helping both large and small businesses fend off the increasing threat of cyber attacks.

According to a statement by the Digital Agency, in the case of small and medium businesses, these attacks can be dangerous enough to force a complete shutdown of the business.

Berlin’s companies can now call 030 166 360 580 and get immediate aid from a team of experts and first aid cyber security advisors. The cyber security service can even handle complex threats while offering a wide array of secondary companies that can help with the threat after the initial crisis is under control.

Berlin’s digitalisation push

Before authorities launched the cyber hotline officially, they conducted a trial pilot phase for several months. Now, the hotline is managed by the so-called ‘First Aiders’ who already have experience on the job, albeit in a somewhat controlled environment.

Yet, the offer for companies, especially those who cannot afford to have a state-of-the-art cyber security team, stands as a strong option for protecting assets in our increasingly digitalised world. This, the city says, will happen through a comprehensive communication campaign scheduled for the coming months.

Moreover, the hotline is one of the main offers by the Digital Agency, coupled with several planned seminars on cyber-security directed at businesses. The Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises has decided to support the agency with an annual grant of around 3.4 million euros.

The agency’s Managing Director, Nicole Voigt, was quoted in a press release by the city, explaining: “In the past few months we have been able to gain initial experience and set up the structure of the offer. The hotline has now been established as a permanent service by Digitalagentur Berlin.”