The National Archives of Iceland preserves important information, including data that is often targeted in cyberattacks. This includes various data related to the Icelandic state, census records, personal data of Icelandic citizens such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, as well as historical records and documents.

“National archives around the world are placing increasing emphasis on strengthening security in their operations. Investment in the Varist solution ensures that we can store the data submitted to us for long-term digital preservation without the risk of accompanying malware,” says Kristján Þorvaldsson, Chief Financial Officer of the National Archives.

Increased risk with artificial intelligence

“Artificial intelligence is already being used to generate new malware designed to evade traditional detection and analysis methods. AI has therefore increased the number of unknown threats. Modernizing detection capabilities with Varist software enables us to detect and analyze new malware that AI can create — in real time and at scale. The fast and seamless integration of the Varist solution, along with its malware analysis capabilities, allows us to address complex threats,” says Siggi Pétursson, Product Manager at Varist.

Kristján adds that traditional cybersecurity threat detection is no longer sufficient. “The solution we previously used is not adequate to ensure security. When threats were human-made, hackers had limited capability to develop sophisticated malware,” he explains. “When we are dealing with artificial intelligence that can generate new threats, we must apply the most advanced defensive methods. In a changing world, we are placing greater emphasis on cybersecurity across various areas, and a key element of our security approach is ensuring the integrity of the data we preserve for the long term. Our collaboration with Varist helps us keep both government and public information protected from advanced threats that can evade traditional defenses and cause significant damage,” says Kristján.