Telenor, Aker and Cognite form software security company Omny

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Telenor has partnered with Aker and Cognite to build a new software security company called Omny which will guarantee better safety for companies handling large volumes of data and information

Given its sensitive nature, it is rare for cybersecurity to be discussed openly during international discussions, but this is exactly what happened earlier this this week when a Norwegian delegation, including the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, travelled to Sweden to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

The three-day event featured a heavy focus on improving cybersecurity dialogue between the two countries, with participating IT firm Advania suggesting lack of knowledge of the subject in Europe as a whole was a ‘major problem’ for society.

The increasing focus on security at international talks should come as no surprise, particularly against the current backdrop of the war in Ukraine. But, more than threats to national security, cybersecurity vulnerabilities for businesses are becoming an increasing challenge around the world. There is currently a large demand for improved cybersecurity software for businesses and the public sector as a result of the enormous amount of data being generated by these companies every day.

In fact, the surge in data creation means that approximately 90% of data available today did not exist just two years ago. 

As businesses continue to digitalise and move to the cloud, the need for better cybersecurity capabilities is becoming more urgent than ever.

This week, Norway’s Telenor is taking action, announcing its partnership with Aker and Cognite to establish a new software security company, Omny.

The purpose of Omny is to fill the much-needed gap in the cybersecurity market, aiming to be a world-leader in operational industrial security.

"The services that Omny is developing will further strengthen our ability to deliver comprehensive security services across IT and operational technology,” explained Sigve Brekke, president and CEO of Telenor. “Over the last 5–6 years, Aker has played an active role in the establishment and development of industrial software companies. By joining forces with such capable partners, we will be able to deliver security services the like of which are currently not available in the market."

The software being built by Omny is noteworthy for being capable of notifying individuals and businesses as to exactly which of their systems is under attack. Currently, standard security systems provide no information about which industrial systems are being affected, meaning company responses to attack are often clumsy and imprecise. 

"In the event that an unauthorised individual attempts to engage in digital sabotage against a company, the software will use its monitoring and consequence understanding capabilities to detail precisely which systems will be affected and how critical these are to the customer,” said to Øyvind Eriksen, president and CEO of Aker. “In order to protect themselves from intruders, businesses must have an overview of all potential vulnerabilities in their own systems and operations. We create a virtual twin of the physical operation in advance which allows us to identify risk factors, actions and consequences."  

The product will be co-developed alongside industry partners, based on Cognite’s Data Fusion platform, which allows for the collection and analysis of large volumes of data.

Omny will launch this product in the Norwegian market in 2023, with the aim of launching the product internationally in 2024.

This has not been Telenor’s only focus on cybersecurity in recent months. Last month, Telenor Group also announced the fourth reinstatement of their Joint Purpose Agreement with Cisco, working together to combat issues with cybersecurity in business operations.