In the interview with Jürgen Stierhof, Head of Technology and Solutions at Connect4Video GmbH

It is increasingly being reported that not only large corporations but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are having their data stolen or encrypted and thus rendered inaccessible through attacks from the internet. The perpetrators then demand ransom to make the data usable again for the owner after payment. Alternatively, they may sell the data to third parties, such as competing companies. A lucrative business for specialized cybercriminals. The ITK industry association Bitkom estimates in its study published in August 2022 that targeted web attacks on the German economy cause around 203 billion euros in damage per year. In addition, the study found that almost 9 out of 10 companies are now victims of data theft, espionage, or sabotage.

But how can companies effectively protect their operational know-how in the face of such virtual threats? Rüsselsheim-based Connect4Video GmbH, known for its secure video communication solutions and registered with the Federal Network Agency, works as a preventive service provider with Austrian company fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH. Together, they offer the fragmentiX solution, an extremely resilient storage variant based on the proactive principle of "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket." Connect4Video complies with German and European data protection guidelines, operates its own server data centers in the DACH region, and relies on Video Conferencing as well as Unified Collaboration as a Service (VCaaS / UCaaS) – i.e., cloud-based video services. Today, we speak with Jürgen Stierhof about highly resistant server solutions, splitting data into fragments, and how this relates to secure communication and virtual meetings.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Mr. Stierhof, what prompted you to focus not only on the usual standardized security measures for video communication but also on the encryption of business information?

Jürgen Stierhof: We aim to make video communication more secure than the standard. Our solutions enhance data protection through additional organizational and technical measures. Given our focus on data security in video communication, it was logical that we also wanted to offer data protection for data storage. We therefore complement fragmentiX’s offerings with our service component.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Could you please briefly explain what fragmentiX Storage is all about and what makes this storage technology special?

Jürgen Stierhof: fragmentiX is a combination of cryptographic software and hardware. The fragmentiX Box encrypts and splits files for secure storage. Key technical elements of fragmentiX were developed in collaboration with the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT). Through our partnership with fragmentiX GmbH, we can now successfully offer this technology as a service in the DACH region.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: How does fragmentiX work in simple terms?

Jürgen Stierhof: The file to be protected is encrypted and split into, for example, three parts. None of the three fragments alone contains usable information. The fragmentiX Box then stores these segments in different locations, such as local drives or S3 cloud storage. The advantage: Even if one of the fragments is stolen, the thief cannot make use of it. To users, the solution appears as just another network drive.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: How can it be integrated into internal server environments or external data centers?

Jürgen Stierhof: The fragmentiX devices are very easy to use and integrate: For users on Windows or MacOS, they appear as additional network drives, and all folder structures and files are stored there as usual. In the background, the fragmentiX Box handles the “splitting” and storage across the storage locations defined by the admin. These locations can be in the public cloud with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc., or on your own storage—on-premise or, importantly, in any desired combination known only to the admin of the fragmentiX Box.
If an existing application directly accesses S3 storage, a fragmentiX Box can be easily inserted in between. The application remains unchanged, but the data is still split by fragmentiX Secret Sharing across the storage locations defined by the admin. This means that no single S3 provider can access data that could be misused.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Can this solution also be integrated on-premise?

Jürgen Stierhof: fragmentiX can be used entirely on-premise. Even so, by splitting the data—such as across three of your own data centers or locations—you can ensure that no single dissatisfied IT employee could leak or steal data.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: What happens if individual fragments are deleted or no longer available due to a hardware failure?

Jürgen Stierhof: By setting the frX-ratio – i.e., the number of fragments created and the number of fragments required to restore the data – we can build a high level of fail-safety or resilience. For example, if eight fragments are generated and at least five are needed for recovery, up to three fragments can fail due to hardware errors or the provider going bankrupt, yet the data remains readable. With the fragmentiX CLUSTER systems, i.e., the 19-inch rack devices, all customers also receive full worldwide Mission Critical Support from DELL. This means a technician is on-site within four hours and repairs the system in the event of a fault. This is an extremely important feature, especially for government agencies and hospitals.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: The process seems very clear and, in principle, quite simple. Why aren’t other major IT security providers pursuing this idea?

Jürgen Stierhof: Secret Sharing algorithms for reliable data storage have been known for a long time, but they have only been used on a small scale for niche applications. fragmentiX is a pioneer in implementing this for a broader user base. The founder of fragmentiX, Werner Strasser, supported police, judiciary, and military as a cybersecurity expert in Austria for many years. He saw the need to use fragmentiX as a helpful tool for protecting sensitive data. At the same time, the local AIT assisted in realizing this project. Other EU governments and, in particular, the healthcare sector also view fragmentiX as an important preventive tool for defending against hackers and the future threat posed by quantum computers or codebreakers.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: You can rely on the expertise of your partner fragmentiX GmbH regarding the efficiency of the method. But what indispensable service contribution does your company specifically provide for those interested in the solution?

Jürgen Stierhof: Thanks to the more than two decades of close collaboration between the managing directors and owners of both companies, C4V holds a special position among fragmentiX partners. For fragmentiX, the quality of C4V customer service is a motivation to jointly present new products, such as frXaaS (fragmentiX as a Service), to enable SMEs and smaller organizations in the public sector to protect their data using fragmentiX Secret Sharing.

DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Thank you very much for the exciting interview.