Anheuser -Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world's largest beer company, said on Thursday it has opened a cybersecurity unit in Israel to protect itself from the growing number of attacks it is facing.
Israel is a leader in cybersecurity , and many of the world's largest companies have opened centers there or partnered with Israeli technology companies to defend themselves against hackersas digital networks and cloud storage become more widespread.
AB InBev’s Tel Aviv hub will focus on analyzing threats and potential attacks, said Luis Veronesi, vice president of global security and compliance. The company did not disclose financial details of the move.
Mr Veronesi told Reuters that AB InBev and the entire industry were facing increased cyber attacks, ranging from attacks for financial reasons to attempts to disrupt the smooth running of businesses.
"With increasing digitalization, we must be prepared to deal with any situation," he said.
The maker of about 500 brands, including Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois, began operating in Israel a year ago when it acquired the startup, Weissbeerger, which created a platform for analyzing beverage consumption at the point of sale by connecting beer taps to the internet and collecting data from the register.
Weissbeerger became the company's local research and development center and plans to expand its workforce, according to AB InBev.
