The Power of Culture
There are good reasons why it’s so important to involve all colleagues, Robbert explains. “You’re only as strong as your weakest link. And at VodafoneZiggo, we see our colleagues as our strongest link. Plus, when successful cyberattacks occur, human actions often play a decisive role—like clicking on a phishing link. That’s why a strong security culture is essential, and we’re working hard to build one. For example, with our program 'Security ABC', which stands for Awareness, Behavior, and Culture. Through campaigns, simulations, and workshops, we teach colleagues to stay alert so they don’t fall for anything. To speak up when they see unsafe behavior. And to be proactive—because building a resilient organization requires continuous effort.”
Many Roads to Your Data
That same resilience is also necessary for internet users in general, Robbert adds. “The number of online threats and cybercrimes is growing rapidly. Phishing, smishing, spoofing, doxing—there are countless ways for bad actors to try and steal personal or sensitive information. And it’s becoming easier and easier to do. There are websites full of 'how-to' guides for beginners. And for just a few bucks, you can buy a list of email addresses or a phishing kit to create a fake website. Easy peasy.”
The chances of these attacks succeeding are also increasing, Robbert notes. This is because we’re open on so many fronts. “In households, it’s common to have dozens of devices connected to the internet. And again: you’re only as strong as your weakest link. A poorly secured smart alarm clock or a doorbell with Chinese spyware could easily be the entry point for a malicious actor.”
Monitoring and Filtering
So, stay alert—Robbert’s advice to anyone with a computer or phone. Meanwhile, VodafoneZiggo is doing everything it can to protect customer security. “For example, by checking whether users are legitimate. If someone logs in from Rotterdam, and then half an hour later from Budapest, that’s a red flag.”
“We also protect customers with a Ziggo email address using a spam filter. We block a huge number of fake emails before they even reach the customer. If we’re not 100% sure, the message ends up in the spam folder. If a customer then confirms it was indeed spam, similar messages will be blocked going forward. These kinds of learning mechanisms are built into every layer of our systems.”
Mental and Digital Updates
Keep learning—that’s what it all comes down to, Robbert believes. “For our employees and organization, and for our customers. Digital safety isn’t about installing a good firewall or spam filter just once. New ways to trick you pop up every single day. Only by keeping our knowledge and our software up to date, our colleagues can work securely and our customers are safely to enjoy our services.”
