A1 Digital & IKARUS – a successful partnership right from the start

An IKARUS success story.

A1 Digital was founded in 2017 as a subsidiary of the Telekom Austria Group based in Vienna and is thus part of América Móvil, one of the world’s largest mobile operators. The overarching goal of A1 Digital, as a modern and agile company, is to support companies in their business areas to remain future-proof and successful, especially in times of challenging processes of digitalisation. In addition to the countries of the Telekom Austria Group in Central and Eastern Europe, A1 Digital also offers services and products in Germany. The focus is on industry-specific applications in the area of IoT (Internet of Things), cloud-based ICT solutions, Network as a Service and the special field of cyber security.

“In our search for a suitable partner for the essential topic of cyber security, we quickly came across IKARUS Security Software. The already proven cooperation with A1 turned out to be the ideal basis for the desired security platform,” Thomas Snor, Director Security at A1 Digital, describes the first steps.

In more than 20 years of cooperation with the A1 Group, around 100,000 private customers and freelancers have come to know and appreciate the IKARUS anti.virus software as excellent virus protection. Company and customer data in particular, but also private data, are now among the most valuable assets and are the focus of data thieves. Reliable malware protection that is always up to date and detects both known and new types of malware is therefore indispensable.

Successive expansion of the cloud portfolio with IKARUS cloud.security services

A1 Digital focuses exclusively on the business-to-business segment and primarily serves small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Depending on the product, A1 Digital also serves customers in the enterprise segment with large branch networks and high demands on IT security.

As a first step, A1 Digital has added the basic anti-virus software IKARUS anti.virus to its portfolio to protect corporate data. Excellent detection rates and continuous updates enable the defence against even new types of malware. The software also works quickly and unobtrusively in the background without interfering with the ongoing work of employees.

In the subsequent implementation steps, IKARUS mail.security and IKARUS mobile.management were also launched for A1 Digital. Nowadays, it is impossible to imagine working without mobile devices – companies and employees must be able to trust that their devices are protected in the best possible way when they are on the move or in the home office. IKARUS mobile.management offers optimal conditions for this as a cloud service. The solution protects smartphones and tablets from cyber threats and enables active management of inventory and data.

Thomas Snor, Director Security at A1 Digital: “A reliable security platform that continuously evolves and adapts to new threats is an integral part of any business. To this end, we use the entire cloud security portfolio of IKARUS, which is very well received by our customers with perfectly coordinated solutions. The bestseller is IKARUS mobile.management, not least because of the pandemic situation, which also fits perfectly into the existing overall portfolio for a mobile operator.”

Austria distribution via A1, Germany via own headquarters

IKARUS products are distributed under the company’s own brand via A1, which serves the Austrian market in a reselling and support function. The products are sold via telesales, classically via the website in an online platform – the A1 Marketplace – and via partners (resellers). Direct sales, from small accounts to corporate accounts, account for the largest share. A1 employs over 1,000 direct sales staff, who IKARUS actively supports from the pre-sales phase onwards. In Germany, A1 Digital is directly responsible for sales with its headquarters in Munich and sales representatives in various regions. This is to ensure regional proximity to the customer even in times of pandemics with a high proportion of remote sales.

Success factors for the partnership

The cooperation between A1 or A1 Digital and IKARUS brings a number of advantages over other security software providers. The headquarters and infrastructure of both companies are located in Vienna. The regional proximity shows through long-standing personal contacts, which are highly appreciated by both sides, especially in emergencies. In addition, all data is located in Austria and development takes place on site in Vienna.

Right from the beginning of the cooperation, IKARUS flexibly adapted to its partner A1 Digital and developed a connector for the platform connection with a great deal of internal effort.

Thomas Snor, Director Security at A1 Digital, explains the decision for IKARUS as follows: “What particularly impressed us about IKARUS is that the company develops the software itself. In addition, the cooperation builds on a transparent and flexible business model. Last but not least, the regional proximity is another plus point.”

For many customers, a well-functioning 3rd level support is crucial during operations. IKARUS operates this from the company headquarters in Vienna with its own team of specialists who communicate with customers at eye level. The A1 team and joint customers are supported throughout the entire customer lifecycle.

Christian Fritz, COO, IKARUS Security Software: “We offer a complete package from presales support to the test phase (POC), quotation, onboarding of all customers, maintenance in regular operation and follow-up orders.”

Proven cooperation with A1 Digital since 2017

The working atmosphere between A1 Digital and IKARUS is characterised by open communication, good use of resources and regular exchange. When necessary, specialists from departments such as support, operations and product management join in to ensure smooth processes. In the operational business, there is an exchange between the IKARUS 3rd level and A1 Digital 2nd level support for all products. In total, more than 10,000 joint customers have been served since 2017, including numerous renowned companies and organisations from the public sector.

Latest topic: Incident Response

With A1 Digital Incident Response, contractual partners receive immediate help to contain and eliminate security breaches in an emergency. Within a maximum of four hours after notification, IKARUS initiates targeted measures for investigation, threat hunting and system clean-up. The service agreement also guarantees immediate access to the expertise and cyber threat intelligence of the international IR specialist Mandiant, if required.

“After very positive customer feedback and great demand in the Austrian market, we have launched the service in Germany in September 2022 as well,” says Marija Angelova-Galevska, Security Business Development at A1 Digital: “We are pleased that customers choose to take their cyber security to a new level with our incident response solution. In the course of the service onboarding, we also assess the customers’ existing security measures according to the A1 Digital Enterprise Security Architecture model and develop valuable input for the further development of the security architecture.”

Thus, the customers benefit twice from the concentrated expertise and optimal cooperation of the companies.

A1 Digital

Further IKARUS success stories

Volksschule Ried

primary school 2 Ried im Innkreis

Three educational institutions in Ried im Innkreis have one thing in common: they use IKARUS anti.virus as malware protection for their servers and Windows workstations.
EGLO

EGLO

"In the event of an incident, every minute counts. The sooner you can get started with targeted measures, the better," Peter Lechner recalls the situation at the time: "Already on the first day after the attack at night, there was a professionally organised crisis meeting with the experts from IKARUS and Mandiant, and we didn't have to wait two or three days for something to happen."
Logo KSV1870

KSV1870 – Austrias leading Creditor Protection Association

“When making the selection decision, it was particularly important for us to find a partner who is ideally located in geographical proximity, has many years of expert know-how and has a globally active partner in the backend. After extensive evaluation, the decision was finally made in favour of XY”, says Thomas Hämmerle.
SeneCura-Logo

SeneCura

"The challenges for the IT infrastructure are complex because round-the-clock operation is necessary in care. Also the requirements for availability are high."
Saubermacher

Saubermacher

The partnerships with Nozomi Networks, the technology leader in IT/OT security, and Trellix (formerly FireEye) in collaboration with Mandiant, the market leader in threat intelligence and incident response, combined with the overall know-how and local support of IKARUS, results in a well-rounded total package.
DerMann

DerMann

"With IKARUS mail.security with ATP, DerMann has a solution that recognizes and blocks spam, malware, dangerous URLs and harmful attachments before they can penetrate the system and cause damage."
KunstUniversitaetLinzLogo

Linz University of the Arts

“What counts for us is reaction speed, little effort on our part and the best possible output. It is not the cheapest bidder that gets a chance with us, but the best bidder: We value the professionalism, availability and problem-free communication with the IKARUS team!”
securepoint

Securepoint

Securepoint is the German market leader in developing professional Unified Threat Management solutions (solutions combining different security tasks on one platform) and the most significant global manufacturer in the cloud sector.
Merkur Versicherung

Merkur Versicherung takes a bold step into the future

„We know each other by now and we appreciate the professional cooperation.“ Robert Picher, Head of IT at Merkur Versicherung
Suzuki Austria

Suzuki Austria

“We are using Mobile Device Management for the first time and quality, reliability and security are particularly important to us," says Gerhard Eber, ICT Manager at SUZUKI AUSTRIA.
ÖAMTC

ÖAMTC – FireEye/IKARUS Security Software

“In the end, the decision was made, knowing that the comprehensive know-how of the internationally active group FireEye was combined with IKARUS as a regional partner for implementation and service.“ Christoph Pertl, IT Security Officer at ÖAMTC
Motormobil - Ford4you

Motormobil

“Due to the many systems running in parallel, permanent monitoring of the entire chain is a priority to be able to react quickly if something is not running correctly!” Gerhard Lochner, IT Manager of Motormobil
Wittmann Battenfeld

WITTMANN Group

“IKARUS Security Software reacts extremely quickly to local threats and has thus already saved us from countless attacks – it is a fixed component of our security concept”. Ing. Janusz Russocki, Head of IT at WITTMANN Group
opswat

OPSWAT: Simultaneous Anti-Malware-Engines

“Since the partnership started, we were continually very happy with the IKARUS scan.engine”, Vinh Lam, OPSWAT´s Senior Software Engineer
Landesschulrat NÖ

Lower Austria Regional School Board

Helmut Neumayr, MSc, specialist in the area of information technology for the LSR NÖ, is convinced of the overall solution: “The total costs per school could be reduced despite the higher quality, while at the same time reducing complexity and improving support.“
Steyr Arms Logo

STEYR ARMS

The trigger for the decision to work with IKARUS was an acute incident in which the antivirus solution used at the time did not take effect and did not strike either the gateway or the client. One of the few solutions that was ultimately effective was from IKARUS. The cooperation with IKARUS and the service worked very well.
Egger Glas

Egger Glas Insulating and Safety Glass Production

“Our most important criterion for email traffic was a reliable and proven sandbox solution that checks and filters all emails before they reach our mail server. “ Bernhard Posch, Head of IT at Egger Glas GmbH
Cumulo

Cumulo – nimbusec website security monitor

“With IKARUS we have a clear benefit for nimbusec and we benefit also from the long experience of the Austrian company”, says Dipl.-Ing. Marin Leonhartsberger, CEO of Cumulo GmbH.
Computertechnik Wenger & Partner

Computertechnik Wenger & Partner

"IKARUS Security Software covers all our needs in this area and makes this task extremely easy for us with one contact person for all questions!” Michael Haitzmann, managing director Computertechnik Wenger & Partner OG
Citycom

Citycom

"With IKARUS I know that they tick in the same way, speak the same language and think as we do." Günter Großschädl, Head of IT Operations
Bad Radkersburg

Bad Radkersburg

Andreas Puntigam, IT manager of the municipality of Bad Radkersburg, knows that an operational 24/7 support can only be achieved with reliable partners: "Externally, we rely on one partner for the entire server landscape, for example, as well as for the firewall." The municipality of Bad Radkersburg has been working with the leading Austrian provider IKARUS Security Software on the important issue of IT security since 2010.
A1 Telekom

A1 Telekom

“IKARUS Security Software provides high-quality security solutions which have been customized for our specific needs. The company staff are a group of highly trained and diligent experts which have an excellent communication style. They are punctual, responsive and highly skilled in terms of technical support which makes our day to day operations and interactions with our end customers much easier.” Thomas Schmidt, MBA MSc, A1 Security Services, A1 Telekom Austria AG
Triburg Freight Services

Triburg Freight Services

“We were impressed by the fast reaction times and the communication style with CLOUDMIND and IKARUS”, says Madhu Kurup, IT-Administrator at TFS

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!

IKARUS Security Software GmbH Blechturmgasse 11
1050 Vienna

Phone: +43 1 58995-0
Sales Hotline:
+43 1 58995-500
sales@ikarus.at

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