HANNOVER MESSE presents IT/OT security solutions

As the integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) continues to expand across global industry, the rise of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) also entails escalating cyber risks, however.

The IT/OT Security exhibition area at HANNOVER MESSE 2025 will thus play a pivotal role in the ongoing industrial transformation. Key players in cybersecurity, including the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the German Cybersecurity Organization (DCSO), alongside companies like Eye Security, Infodas, Rhebo, and Secunet, will converge in the "Industrial Security Circus" arena in Hall 16.

New technologies such as AI, cloud computing, data analytics, 5G, and blockchain, which will be omnipresent at HANNOVER MESSE 2025, are not only driving the industrial transformation but also becoming - all too frequently inadequately protected - prime targets for cybercriminals. According to a recent Statista forecast, costs incurred through global cybercrime are projected to surge continuously between 2024 and 2029 by a total USD 6.4 trillion (+69.4 percent), hitting a new all-time high of an estimated USD 15.63 trillion in 2029.

Cybersecurity at the level of state intelligence agencies

"Cybersecurity is business-critical," emphasises Marcel van Asperdt, Chief Information Security Officer at Eye Security, who will speak on the Industrial Security Circus stage at HANNOVER MESSE 2025 about the growing threats exacerbated by talent shortages and cost pressures.

"Affordable solutions are essential, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Continuous security monitoring combined with cyber insurance cover offers the best protection," van Asperdt adds. Eye Security was founded in 2020 by three former Dutch intelligence officers who pooled their expertise to provide all organisations forming part of a large-scale supply chain with cybersecurity on par with state intelligence agencies.

A key competitive factor amid new cybersecurity laws

Rhebo came to industrial network cybersecurity over a decade ago with its network-based attack detection system for OT. Today, Uwe Dietzmann, the company's sales manager, describes cybersecurity as a key competitive factor in the EU, particularly against the backdrop of new cybersecurity laws like NIS-2 and the Cyber Resilience Act.

"Visitors to the Industrial Security Circus at HANNOVER MESSE 2025 can look forward to the most sophisticated and powerful OT Security portfolio made in Germany and offered by Rhebo - from OT core to IIoT edge, and from initial risk assessment to the operation of an attack detection system," says Dietzmann.

Attackers don't adhere to deadlines

Van Asperdt also highlights the urgency of complying with NIS-2, predicting that adherence to this new cybersecurity law will be challenging, regardless of Germany's current implementation status.

"NIS-2 will significantly tighten cybersecurity requirements, even for companies not directly affected. Companies acting now will strengthen their resilience, protect supply chains, and avoid costly, last-minute upgrades. Waiting is not an option attackers don't adhere to deadlines."

The stars of the Industrial Security Circus arena

The stars of the Industrial Security Circus arena are far from the clueless circus performers in Alexander Kluge's legendary film. With safety nets and double protection, they safeguard people, facilities, the environment, and corporate reputations.

For instance, the DCSO provides tailored responses to the asymmetric threats posed by globally organised cybercrime and state-sponsored economic espionage. Infodas, an Airbus subsidiary, introduces the SDoT Secure Network Card, offering robust protection against supply chain attacks. Meanwhile, Secunet presents the SINA Cloud, Germany's first cloud infrastructure solution with a security architecture approved for classified information up to and including the "SECRET" level.