BICS and Anapaya are joining forces to roll out SCION internet technology worldwide. The new network architecture is designed to give organizations direct control over their data traffic and ensure compliance in highly regulated sectors.
The collaboration between BICS, part of Proximus Global, and Swiss company Anapaya integrates SCION technology into BICS’ global backbone. BICS offers global solutions to enable communication. The network supports voice, messaging, data, 5G and IoT.
Strategic points in Belgium, France, Singapore, and the United States will be used to roll out SCION worldwide. SCION stands for “Scalability, Control, and Isolation On Next-generation networks” and was originally developed at ETH Zurich.
The technology gives organizations control over the routes their data traffic takes. This prevents domestic traffic from unintentionally crossing national borders. “SCION is bringing about a fundamental change in how we can design and trust the internet,” says Yaunese Aazibou, CTO at Proximus Global. The company wants to develop SCION into the foundation for secure connectivity and redefine how critical sectors connect across borders.
Proven technology in critical sectors
SCION now functions as the backbone of interbank communication in Switzerland. More than 300 banks use the Secure Swiss Finance Network for critical applications. The healthcare sector has also embraced the technology: the SecureSwiss Health Network is used by more than 30,000 doctors.
Thanks to multi-path routing, data continues to flow even if there is a failure in part of the network. Cryptographic protection of network paths prevents traffic redirection attacks. A few months ago, NL-ix and Anapaya announced plans to bring SCION to Europe as an alternative to conventional IP networks.
“The cyber threat is escalating rapidly,” warns Martin Bosshardt, CEO of Anapaya. “AI-driven attacks are becoming increasingly effective. Many organizations no longer dare to expose their critical systems to the public internet.” SCION is rapidly gaining popularity in highly regulated sectors such as financial services, utilities, and healthcare.