PZU customers will be safer. The insurer launches a new threat detection system.

• The new system monitors the internet, deep web, and darknet to detect data breaches – from login and password leaks to brand incidents.
• According to data from the Council of the European Union, the annual global cost of cybercrime is €5.5 trillion.
• In Poland alone, in 2024, the number of reports of IT system security breaches increased by 60%, and the number of actually identified incidents increased by 23% compared to 2023.

PZU is implementing RIFFSEC, an early warning system for cyber threats. It monitors the internet, deep web, and darknet to detect data breaches—from login and password leaks to brand-related incidents.

Thanks to this, the insurer strengthens the work of its security teams – from SOC to analysts.

Higher level of protection against cyber threats

"The nature of the work in the insurance industry involves processing vast amounts of confidential information. Therefore, the highest quality of cybersecurity, especially in an era of constantly increasing cyberattacks, is our absolute priority. By partnering with RIFFSEC, we are reaching an even higher level of protection against cyber threats," says Michał Kopyt, member of the PZU Życie Management Board and PZU Group Director of IT.

The system focuses on European data, allowing it to detect local threats more quickly. The information collected by RIFFSEC for PZU will include situations potentially threatening data confidentiality (including logins and passwords), monitoring cybercriminals' conversations about PZU, and monitoring domain registrations similar to PZU-related brands.

The platform will also remind customers to pay for their insurer's domains and SSL certificates. PZU experts will also have constant access to information about new attacks on other organizations, as well as the latest viruses and types of fraud used by cybercriminals.

- The system will support PZU cybersecurity teams in even more effective identification and analysis of threats to our brand and customers, as well as in faster response to potential incidents - explains Bartosz Zbyszewski, Director of Risk and IT Security at the PZU Group.

The number of cyberattacks is growing. Also in Poland.

The number of cyberattacks worldwide, including in Europe and Poland, is consistently rising. According to data from the Council of the European Union, the annual global cost of cybercrime is €5.5 trillion.

In Poland alone, in 2024, the number of reports of IT system security breaches increased by 60%, and the number of actually identified incidents increased by 23% compared to 2023 (data from the Ministry of Digital Affairs). CSIRT NASK recorded an increase in the number of incidents from over 80,200 in 2023 to over 103,400 in 2024.

"Our system supports institutions that need to rapidly detect potential incidents and respond before they become a real threat. Global providers focus primarily on markets like the US, and their services and pricing are tailored to the needs of the largest corporations. We monitor and analyze data that is truly important to companies in Europe and Poland. The trust of a partner like PZU confirms that a local approach to cybersecurity has real value," says Konrad Latkowski, CEO of RIFFSEC.

RIFFSEC was founded in 2022. Its clients include the Bank Guarantee Fund, the Batory Foundation, the Raben Group, Orange CERT Polska, and now PZU.

Collaboration through the acceleration program

RIFFSEC is one of several hundred startups that applied last fall to the Smart UP - Startup Booster Poland acceleration program, run by Huge Thing. From this group, PZU selected RIFFSEC to test the startup's technology against the insurer's business needs. This is another startup selected in the Huge Thing accelerator, with which PZU has recently partnered.

In mid-October, the insurer announced a joint project with the startup simpl.rent, under which it implemented a tool facilitating the introduction of dedicated insurance programs prepared for selected customer groups.

Huge Thing is PZU's strategic acceleration partner.

"We are pleased that our continued collaboration with PZU is yielding tangible results. We consistently emphasize how crucial startups are to the development of large organizations, but realizing their potential requires a sound strategy, conscious action, and a willingness to implement change. Acceleration programs are one of the initiatives that strengthen this organizational readiness. Our partnership with PZU is an important and rewarding collaboration, especially since the company has been successfully implementing new solutions for years and has high ambitions in this area," says Monika Synoradzka, CEO of Huge Thing.

"At PZU, we focus on testing and implementing innovations in collaboration with young technology companies. This type of collaboration is beneficial for both us and the startups. We gain access to new, specialized technology products, and startups have the opportunity to scale their solutions with the largest insurer in the region," emphasizes Marcin Kurczab, Director of Innovation and AI at the PZU Group.

PZU Ready for Startups – 50 implemented innovations

Collaboration with RIFFSEC is another innovation implemented as part of the PZU Ready for Startups program. The Innovation and AI Team is responsible for its organization.

Over the course of eight years, PZU experts analyzed nearly 8,000 ideas for new solutions across the PZU Group. The best 87 solutions were tested in a pilot project, and over 50 were subsequently implemented across the insurer's operations. These innovations serve both to streamline internal processes and consistently improve the customer experience.

As part of the PZU Ready for Startups program, the insurer cooperates with both Polish and foreign partners.