Cybersecurity at PPF Group

PPF Group has long promoted an approach that views the value of telecommunications infrastructure not only in terms of capacity and speed, but also availability, resilience, and trustworthiness. Through CETIN, CETIN International, O2, Yettel, and EmbedIT, PPF’s specialised provider of IT solutions, the Group invests in advanced cybersecurity technologies and builds an ecosystem capable of addressing not only current threats, but also emerging technologies such as quantum computing.

 Trusted technologies

Resilient networks can only be built on trusted technologies from verified suppliers. When selecting suppliers, PPF Group follows the recommendations and regulations of the relevant authorities in the countries in which it operates. The extensive modernisation of mobile networks ensures that critical infrastructure transmitting sensitive data for public administration, the banking sector, and millions of end users complies with the most stringent security standards.

Network resilience also encompasses the physical security of data centres, backbone route redundancy, and the ability to withstand large-scale outages and targeted attacks. At a time when hybrid threats have become a permanent feature of the security landscape and their number continues to grow, the role of telecommunications providers is essential. Networks must remain operational even in crisis scenarios, as the functioning of integrated rescue systems, energy infrastructure, supply chains, and other critical services depends on them.

PPF Group and its companies not only comply with standards, but also help to shape them – telecommunications networks and equipment operated by the Group are designed with the most critical and extreme scenarios in mind. The ability to anticipate such threats and plan appropriate responses positions PPF as a strategic partner for the state, large corporations, and digital service providers.

Protected data centres

Advanced software security can function effectively only when supported by robust physical foundations. CETIN’s data centres are designed to withstand sophisticated threats. Critical systems are located in areas with strictly controlled access and are protected by biometric security features and camera systems with video analytics to prevent unauthorised access.

CETIN places an equal emphasis on energy independence. Redundant diesel generators and advanced battery systems maintain operations even during large-scale power outages. The infrastructure is designed in accordance with Tier III principles, ensuring that key services remain operational even in the event of unexpected incidents and component failures.

For customers, this means that their technologies operate in an environment that protects service availability, operational continuity, and data security – even when the external environment faces outages, exceptional events, or targeted attacks.

Anticipating threats

PPF Group builds resilient networks on the principle of Security by Design. At the core of its defence are Security Operations Centres (SOCs), operating 24/7 to protect services in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia. These monitoring centres are not merely passive observers of network traffic – they use advanced data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to detect anomalies rapidly and identify threats at an early stage.

Cybersecurity experts analyse thousands of records and security events every day. Given the volume of data, human capacity alone is insufficient. PPF Group therefore invests in tools facilitating AI-assisted automated assessment of malicious activities. Algorithms identify operational anomalies in real time that may indicate an emerging DDoS attack, an attempted network intrusion, or the spread of malware.

Through internal knowledge sharing and the transfer of expertise across the Group, the SOCs effectively monitor and protect operations in all countries where PPF’s telecommunications companies operate. SOC services are not limited to protecting the Group’s own infrastructure. PPF Group has incorporated its expertise into a product portfolio for B2B customers, including banks, healthcare providers, and industrial companies. From penetration testing and vulnerability monitoring to incident response, customers gain access to expertise and technologies that would be difficult to build independently.

In this way, PPF enables companies and public institutions to benefit from the same level of expert protection used to safeguard its own critical infrastructure, thereby strengthening the resilience of the digital economy and the broader digital environment.

Readiness for future threats

One example of this long-term approach is the project to create a quantum-secured network. With the emergence of quantum computing, traditional encryption methods on which the security of internet banking and electronic signatures currently relies may cease to be secure. Quantum computers could potentially break such encryption within minutes or hours. Estimates suggest that this technology may become available within the next several years.

PPF Group is preparing for this development, establishing a foundation for service and data security in the era of quantum technologies. In the Czech Republic, CETIN, in cooperation with O2 Czech Republic and other verified technology partners, has implemented quantum key distribution (QKD) technology, which draws on the principles of quantum physics to create theoretically unbreakable encryption. In pilot projects, CETIN has successfully interconnected its data centres using QKD.

In the near future, financial institutions, public administration, and other players will need to ensure that their data remains secure. PPF Group continues to invest in modern technologies strengthening the security and resilience of its networks and services. It is preparing the deployment of isolated private 5G networks designed for specific use cases with guaranteed security parameters. These networks will enable large-scale IoT applications in Industry 4.0, autonomous mobility, and telemedicine. At the same time, the Group is deploying an architecture based on the Zero Trust principle, under which every access request within the network is continuously verified regardless of origin.

The combination of quantum encryption, the integration of artificial intelligence into cybersecurity, and the application of Zero Trust principles is creating a modern security framework that significantly increases the preparedness of the telecommunications infrastructure and services of PPF Group companies for complex future threats.