Eye Security: The Dutch Cyber Knights Shielding Europe's Digital Realm

Charles M. Walls | March 13, 2024 | Views: 121

*Eye Security’s founders: Piet Kerkhofs (left), Job Kuijpers (center) and Vincent van de Ven. Credit: Eye Security*

Hey there, folks! Guess what? A spunky Dutch startup called Eye Security just bagged a whopping €36 million to put cyber baddies in their place across Europe. 🚀

Kicked off in 2020 by a squad of Dutch spooks and security wizards, this Hague-hailing hero squad is all about guarding the cyber fortresses of small to medium-sized ventures with their cyber-shields, quick-fix incident responses, and cyber insurance magic spells.

The loot bag now totals a cool €57.5 million, thanks to the latest funding fiesta led by none other than the investment arm of the finance behemoth JPMorgan Chase. 🎉

With pockets full, Eye Security's grand plan is to beef up its superhero base in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, and then leap into other European lands with their cyber capes flapping in the wind.

Their mission? To be the knight in shining armor for smaller firms, who face about half of all cyber skulduggery but are often left to fend for themselves without a cyber-squad of their own. These are the businesses that Eye Security vows to protect from the dark arts of cyber villainy.

"Picture this," says Job Kuijpers, the chief of Eye Security and former Dutch spy-master, "We've conjured up this awesome platform that not only bulks up your cyber defenses but also zaps you with insurance cover faster than you can say 'hackers be gone!'"

👾 Cybercrime Boogeymen Alert 👾

Last year, ransomware rascals (those cyber goons who kidnap your precious data and only give it back for a ransom) went totally bonkers. The European Digital SME Alliance was like, "Woah, we've got a situation here!" with attacks more than doubling in May alone. And the cherry on top of this not-so-sweet cake? The notorious LockBit gang from Russia causing chaos until they got a taste of their own medicine last month.

Eye Security drops this bombshell: about 60% of small outfits that get ambushed by these cyber thugs end up closing shop within six months. Yikes!

With cybercrime on a rollercoaster ride, the EU's bigwigs updated the Network and Information Security Directive (NISD) to include tougher rules and heftier fines for companies that don't cry "I've been hacked!" in time. Starting October 17, 2024, it's gonna be "report or face the wrath of up to €10 million or 2% of your yearly dough."

This has businesses doing the scramble dance, and Eye Security's like, "It's our time to shine, baby!"

"We just knew companies deserved a hero. And with a dire shortage of cyber knights, we had to flip the script with a fresh battle plan," declared Eye Security on LinkedIn, swords drawn, ready to charge into the cyber fray. 🛡️✨

So, let's give it up for Eye Security, folks! Charging into the cyber battlefield, cape billowing, ready to save the digital day!