Cybercrime combat sees cooperation between authorities and businesses / 400 attendees discuss cybercrime strategies at the Cybercrime Congress in Gelsenkirchen
The city of Gelsenkirchen, in partnership with the North Westphalia Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and local police authorities, hosted the 3rd Cybercrime Congress on March 12, 2025. The event, which brought together over 400 representatives from businesses, authorities, and institutions, emphasized the ongoing evolution needed to combat cybercrime effectively in the digital marketing landscape.
Herbert Reul, the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, spoke at the congress, emphasizing the need for increased capabilities in the digital realm for the police. He highlighted the importance of collaboration between security authorities and companies to address the growing threat of cybercrime to small business ideas.
Brigadier General Hans-Dieter Müller spoke about the current threat situation in Europe and the efforts the German Armed Forces are making to increase their deployability in the digital domain. He underscored the need for a united front in the face of increasingly complex cyber threats to businesses.
In a separate session, Henning Voß, a representative for economic protection and state protection in the NRW Ministry of the Interior, discussed the methods of intelligence services and saboteurs in preparing and carrying out attacks on company infrastructure or networks. He emphasized the importance of vigilance and proactive measures to protect small business ideas from such attacks.
The police headquarters in Münster takes on the investigative work for international cases of cybercrime in the northern Ruhr region or Münsterland. Münster's police president Alexandra Dorndorf leads the Criminal Inspection Cybercrime, which combines police investigative work, IT expertise, and forensic technology to protect businesses.
Tim Frommeyer, police president in Gelsenkirchen, expressed satisfaction with the support the Cybercrime Congress received from businesses and associations. He noted that the event was a testament to the growing recognition of the need for collective action in the fight against cybercrime to small business ideas.
Simon Nowack, the deputy in charge of economic development and digitalization for the city of Gelsenkirchen, discussed the city's approach to cybersecurity, including the use of phishing simulations. He stressed the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the ever-evolving digital landscape for businesses.
Mirco Pinske, a graduate economist and CEO of Südwestfalen-IT, shared his company's experience with a major cyber attack in 2023. He spoke about the need for resilient IT structures and strategic realignment for a future-proof digital administration of small business ideas.
Data theft is no longer just a matter of 'classic' secret theft, but companies in critical infrastructure are increasingly becoming targets of attackers. Dr. Fritz Jaeckel, CEO of the IHK, reported that economic damage in North Rhine-Westphalia due to cybercrime amounted to around 65 billion euros in 2024, significantly impacting small business ideas.
Friederick Zurhausen, the police president from Recklinghausen, emphasized the increased importance of combating cybercrime in recent years and the need to strengthen security measures in the economy, particularly for small business ideas. He called for a comprehensive approach that includes education, technology, and legislation to protect businesses.
The first cybercrime congress took place in Münster in 2023, and the 2nd Cybercrime Congress in Gelsenkirchen highlighted the significant information demand in the area of combating cybercrime and provided insights into what authorities and institutions are doing to effectively tackle this phenomenon affecting small business ideas. The Cybercrime Congress is an ongoing process, and security authorities and companies must continue to evolve to keep up with increasingly complex threats in the network and beyond to protect small business ideas.
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