This is exactly the concept Igel is pursuing with the “Adaptive Secure Endpoint Platform”, which allows third-party solutions to be integrated via open APIs. According to the Bremen-based company, there are now around 130 partners, including identity security providers such as Okta, Imprivata and Microsoft (with Entra ID) as well as various other security players with whose help Igel can implement zero trust architectures.
But Igel doesn’t just rely on its partners: the in-house development team, led by General Manager and CTO Matthias Haas, is also diligently driving forward software development. For this purpose, Igel now maintains, in addition to the main development location in Augsburg, others in Bucharest, Bangalore and Fort Lauderdale, USA. However, the German location continues to be in charge.
Igel recently presented numerous extensions to its platform at a customer event in Frankfurt. These include, among others:
- contextual access controls, made possible through cooperation with security partners;
- a managed hypervisor including the option to run published apps locally on the TCs;
- Managed containers (important for the industrial environment);
- Support for ARM processors.
And of course the topic of AI should not be missing: Igel AI Armor is intended to secure AI use, MCP support is in the works for this.
A clever solution is “Igel Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery”. How it works: A Windows endpoint runs virtualized on Igel OS. In an emergency, such as a ransomware attack, users only need to press the F9 key. This leads to a restart including the choice of whether you want to start the Windows computer or the secure Igel OS. In addition to this dual boot, there is also a USB boot option, for example for industrial PCs.
As a result, Igel says, companies can be back up and running in minutes. Or to put it more concretely: Users can continue to use hosted and SaaS applications such as Windows 365 and thus remain at least essentially able to act. The Windows OS remains untouched for forensic purposes. According to CEO Klaus Oestermann, the solution is proving to be a “door opener” for acquiring new customers, as well as for expanding existing installations.
