The board of the Initiative Online Print sets great importance on regularly informing its members about current trend topics. From left to right: Ulrich Schätzl (Director Mass Customization of Elanders Print+Packaging Group), Bernd Zipper (CEO of zipcon consulting and Chairman of the Board of the IOP), board advisor Sandra Bellof and Roland Keppler (CEO of Onlineprinters GmbH). Copyright: Initiative Online Print

Artificial intelligence not only brings new technical possibilities, but also redefines the requirements for companies. For example, security concepts must be rethought and redeveloped. The Initiative Online Print (IOP) regularly deals with the topic of cybersecurity, among other things.

Current legal issues raised by artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in e-commerce are much more closely linked than one might think at first glance. New technologies such as Apple's recently introduced glasses or artificial intelligence bring opportunities and risks, but also new tasks for companies - because only those who are really familiar with these trendy topics can also protect themselves from the dangers that accompany them.

Preparations for an emergency
Cybersecurity is becoming more and more relevant due to the increasing number of hacker attacks. For the IOP members, it is therefore clear that the topic must be a matter for the CEOs; especially since companies in the online print industry not only have to protect their own company, but also bear responsibility for highly sensitive customer data via their online shops. Therefore, it is the duty of every managing director to take the right measures, to inform themselves about their own precautionary needs and, if necessary, to take out an appropriate insurance policy. After all, an attack can quickly threaten the existence of a company.

Cybercrime will affect every business
Prevention means even more. It can be assumed that every company will become a victim of cybercrime over time - the only question is when and to what extent. According to a recent cybersecurity study by TÜV, 11% of companies in Germany alone were affected by hacker attacks last year. Cyber attacks have not only become more frequent since the war in Ukraine; artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role.

Although there can be no full protection, it is possible to prepare. Checklists can be used, for example, to work out in which business areas the risk is greatest or the potential damage would be highest. For these areas, an emergency plan should first be developed that answers the most important questions in case of an emergency: How do I lock the business premises if the electronic door lock system stops working? How do I inform the employees if the computers have been blocked?

Employees should also be familiarised with the topic through training to increase risk awareness. Negligent short-circuit actions can thus be reduced and the team made aware of incidents and situations that they might otherwise not have considered. Or can you say with certainty that none of your employees would open the door to an IT technician who presents full of conviction that they need to carry out an urgent server update?

Have emergency plans and checklists ready
Preparing for a possible cyber attack is a long process. At the end of this process, there is a checklist tailored to one's own business that can be worked through in the event of an emergency. Even once this list is in place and the appropriate insurance policies have been taken out, the recommendations for action must be reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that they correspond to the current circumstances.

The motto is: inform, exchange, act
Dealing with artificial intelligence and cybersecurity should be at the top of every company’s to-do list. Neither the developers of chatbots nor cybercriminals will take into account the extent to which a company or an entire industry has already dealt with these trends and taken precautions. Only one thing is clear: not taking action out of fear or for cost reasons will not help online printers either - or in the worst case, it will even cost them more than "just" money. This makes it all the more important to develop one's own strategy for emergencies - and this is best done with the help of sparring partners such as the IOP members are to each other.