VRT ensures cyber resilience for all employees and contractors
As a large and dynamic organization, the Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT), Belgium’s public broadcaster for the Flemish community, needed a scalable solution to build cyber resilience among its staff. Phished offers the flexibility VRT was looking for, making it easy to efficiently onboard not only permanent employees but also temporary staff and external consultants.
Fact sheet
Staying ahead of threats
Every day, a large number of people enter VRT buildings and connect to its network, yet the broadcaster has – so far – avoided major cyberattacks or data breaches. “We have seen some minor phishing attempts and a few small-scale incidents in the past,” says Wim Wauterickx, CISO at VRT. “That doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. It’s crucial we continue to strengthen our security posture.”
Instant onboarding for new employees
With a constantly changing user base and frequent mailbox updates – accounts being deactivated or created – it’s vital that everyone on the network receives proper cybersecurity training. “The Phished platform plays a key role in that,” says Wauterickx. “New users and mailboxes are automatically added to the platform. That saves us time and effort, and more importantly, it reduces the risk of human error from staff who may be new or not yet fully trained.”
“With in-house campaigns, everyone received the same message. There was no room for personalisation. Phished takes that completely off our plate – the platform automatically adjusts its simulations, keeping the content relevant and appropriately challenging.”
Gaining momentum
Before partnering with Phished, VRT ran a single phishing awareness campaign once a year. “That method had its limitations,” Wauterickx explains. “It was a one-off, static test that took a lot of time to set up. The impact, however, faded quickly. And if someone joined the company right after the campaign, they missed out completely. With Phished, we can now offer ongoing, effective training tailored to each individual.” The platform’s ability to adapt content based on user performance is another benefit.
A high-stakes sector
Media might not seem like an obvious target, but it’s far from off the radar for cybercriminals, says Wauterickx. “Even though much of our content is publicly accessible, we’re still an attractive target for attackers looking to leverage trustworthy channels for their phishing campaigns.” He refers to the rise of fake news in recent years.
“If a hacker were to gain access to our platforms, they’d suddenly have a powerful distribution channel for misinformation. Large-scale sabotage would probably be caught quickly – but more subtle manipulations, like changing a few numbers in an article, would be harder to detect and could seriously damage our credibility. That’s why data integrity is so crucial.”
The media industry’s ongoing shift to cloud-based systems brings new challenges as well. “The days of closed, analog systems hosted in our own data centers are behind us,” Wauterickx adds. “This evolution requires increased vigilance and new security strategies tailored to today’s threat landscape. Preventing phishing is one of our most important lines of defense.”
Conclusion
As a public broadcaster, VRT plays an essential societal role. Not only is it one of the largest employers in Flanders, it’s also a key source of information for the region. To ensure that its communications remain safe and trustworthy, a strong cybersecurity strategy is critical – with phishing prevention as a cornerstone.
Thanks to the automated nature of both the phishing simulations and recipient management, Phished enables VRT to deliver personalized, accessible training to every employee. By focusing on individual learning, the organization can reduce its collective risk – ultimately helping protect the broader public interest.
