When Swedish authorities procure IT services, they play a crucial role for national security and control. According to Annika Rydström, CEO of Binero, many still fail to set the right requirements – and do not always understand why they are needed.
– ‘It’s not just about technology, but about control, access and responsibility,’ she says.
At a time when data is a strategic resource and digital infrastructure is a security issue, it becomes increasingly important for Swedish procuring authorities to set requirements that not only focus on price but also on where data is stored and how it is handled, since the choice of cloud service provider can have significant and long-term consequences.
– All data stored and handled in a cloud service must be protected in accordance with both national and European regulations. It’s not just about technology, but also about control, access and responsibility. Therefore, it is crucial that both data centres and data remain in Sweden – and that only authorised persons within the country’s borders have access. You cannot outsource or use underlying infrastructure, such as a cloud service, in a third country with any access to your data, says Annika Rydström, CEO of Binero.
Binero is a Swedish provider of cloud services with data centres in Sweden. This means all data remains within the country’s borders and that no third party in another country has access to it, neither directly nor indirectly. Annika Rydström points out that this may sound obvious, but the reality shows otherwise.
– We can see that many authorities and companies still choose American providers, despite this meaning that American legislation may supersede Swedish and European legislation. This jeopardises both security and confidence.
She states that procuring authorities have a responsibility to understand which requirements can and should be set and that these must include factors such as resilience in the supply chain, data access and who is responsible for operations and support.
– When an IT function is outsourced to a third country with different legislation, control is practically lost. This must be included in the specifications from the start. Binero has developed a European, open and secure cloud platform based on open standards, with Swedish technology and full transparency. Our goal is to help the public sector and companies to make informed choices and ensure that data and control remain where they belong. We don’t just want to deliver a service, but also help to raise the level of knowledge among both procurers and decision makers – only then can we talk about true control, concludes Annika Rydström.
Binero is a Swedish provider of open, secure and sustainable cloud services. With data centres in Sweden and a total focus on control, Binero offers a cloud platform that meets both European and national requirements.
Read the article in Swedish DI here.
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