link 22 – Security without compromise

link22 is a Swedish cybersecurity company specializing in high-assurance security solutions for sensitive, isolated, and mission-critical environments. The company focuses on enabling secure digital operations in air-gapped, offline, and highly regulated infrastructures where confidentiality, integrity, and controlled data exchange are essential.

Founded in 2006, link22 has continuously expanded its customer base, which today includes government agencies, defense organizations, operators of critical infrastructure, industrial and OT environments, energy providers, healthcare organizations, and other entities handling classified or highly sensitive information.

The company develops solutions for secure communication, protected data transfer, removable media security, and secure IT solutions for air-gapped environments. Key offerings include Cross Domain Solutions (CDS) for secure import and export of data to isolated environments, as well as USB Scan Solutions designed to enable secure handling of removable media while protecting against malware infiltration.

Over the years, link22 has developed technologies for secure data transfer and data diode-based communication, continuously evolving its offerings to meet increasing cybersecurity requirements. Through cooperation with IKARUS Security Software, the company has also strengthened its malware protection capabilities as part of its broader security portfolio.

Cooperation with IKARUS – Integration of Malware Scanner into the Data Guard Solution

As cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure, defense organizations, and public sector institutions continue to grow in sophistication, link22 recognized the increasing need for a highly efficient and reliable malware scanning technology capable of meeting the demands of modern secure environments. One of the key requirements was the ability to process growing volumes of data without compromising performance, particularly in isolated and high-security infrastructures where secure and controlled data transfer is essential.

According to Marcus Ekbäck, Business Area Manager at link22, “our company was looking for a scanning engine capable of handling both very large files at high speed and high volumes of smaller files in parallel operational environments.” Before selecting a technology partner, link22 evaluated several vendors and conducted proof-of-concept testing to identify the most suitable solution for its security architecture and customer requirements.

The collaboration with IKARUS Security Software began with the integration of the IKARUS Scan Engine into link22’s platform.

“From the beginning, the cooperation was characterized by close technical collaboration and strong communication between the engineering teams,” recalls Marcus Ekbäck.

The SDK integration process was described as clear, efficient, and well-structured, allowing the teams to move quickly from the pilot phase to operational deployment. In particular, the automation capabilities and integration flexibility of the solution enabled a smooth implementation within link22’s secure environments.

Marcus Ekbäck highlights that the cooperation stood out early because both companies shared a similar understanding of customer requirements and security expectations. The engineering teams worked closely together throughout the integration process, with rapid response times, flexible support, and practical technical guidance contributing to a highly effective collaboration.

The successful integration “has since received strong feedback from customers operating in highly sensitive sectors, particularly organizations within defense, critical infrastructure, and the public sector,” explains Marcus Ekbäck. These environments require not only strong malware detection capabilities, but also reliable performance in offline or air-gapped operational setups where secure handling of data is mission-critical.

Challenges in the future

Looking ahead, both companies see cybersecurity requirements continuing to increase across defense-related and critical infrastructure environments. The protection of scanned data, secure data handling, and compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks such as the NIS2 directive are becoming increasingly important for organizations operating sensitive systems and networks. At the same time, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence create both new opportunities and new risks, particularly when advanced technologies are used maliciously.

For many organizations, maintaining the ability to operate securely in offline or isolated environments remains a key strategic requirement. “In this context, the integration of the IKARUS Scan Engine into link22’s secure infrastructure solutions helps customers strengthen protection against malware infiltration while supporting secure offline operations in highly sensitive environments,” summarizes Marcus Ekbäck.