Overview of theses at SerNet:

Author: Jonas Reineke
University: University Göttingen
Conclusion: Bachelor
Year: 2021

Topic: Information system documentation is a crucial tool in information technology. In particular, it enables knowledge to be shared with other teams and departments. However, this can lead to problems if different stakeholders require different subsets of information or if the importance of documentation differs between individual stakeholders. In this context, this paper considers a process of SerNet GmbH in which technical inventory data of an infrastructure provided for customers are automatically reconciled with the invoicing process.

Benefit: In order to avoid complications in processes with changing areas of responsibility, it must be possible to adapt the supplied data to the requirements of the receiving system as easily and dynamically as possible. From this point of view, this paper analyzes a business process with the ITSEC and accounting departments involved for weaknesses, identifies possible causes and develops possible solutions. These include the automation of activities that were previously performed manually, the optimization of data storage, and the introduction of standards to standardize documentation.

Author: Yasmine Khemiri
University: htw. -  Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin
Conclusion: Master
Year: 2021

Topic: This scientific paper aims to further develop the marketing concept for the second generation of the information security management system (ISMS) tool verinice. To this end, the following research question is investigated: Which strategic and operational measures should be implemented for a successful market launch and a proper positioning on the market?

Benefit: The restart of a successful software is associated with the risks of a "Second System Syndrome" and good planning and a good technical and marketing strategy is of elementary importance. With this work justifications for the chosen way and the strategy in the market are formulated and deepened.

Author: Tatjana Anisow
Carrier: Technical University of Brandenburg
Degree: Master of Science: Security Management 
Year: 2020

Topic: The master's thesis focuses on how information security can be verified using key performance indicators. Companies are increasingly building an information security management, for which various standards are available. In turn, various performance indicators exist for the evaluation of ISM, which should be suitable, meaningful and efficient. The work pursues this by analyzing, evaluating and further developing the existing indicators; in addition, own ones are developed and presented.

Benefits: Among other things, SerNet is the publisher of the ISMS tool verinice. The OpenSource tool for the management of information security is permanently developed further, both technically and in terms of content. The findings of the work can be profitably used in future versions. In addition, the author was a permanent member of the verinice team during her dual studies and was able to contribute her academic knowledge as well as benefit from the knowledge gained through daily business.

Author: Stephanie Bruer
Carrier: Administrative and Business Academy and University of Cooperative Education Göttingen
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2017

Topic: SerNet provides software under purchase and subscription contracts ("subscriptions"). This software is being offered for the first time in the market in some areas, so there is a lack of price comparisons - due to a lack of pre-existing competition. Pricing methods need to be implemented heuristically with product and market knowledge and a lot of trial-and-error. At the same time, the methods must be robust to strategy changes and significant price shifts, should the assumptions about prices and margins to be achieved be fundamentally wrong.

Benefits:The pricing methods used at SerNet are compiled in Ms. Bruer's technical paper and examined for their effectiveness over time. The introduction of products in automated running store systems falls to special attention.

Author: Marius Bernhard
University: Hochschule Harz
Type: Mandatory internship
Year: 2016

Topic: The way firewalls work is undergoing a lot of change. Whereas in the early days of the Internet it was easy to split computer communications into different traffic types and thereby both regulate and monitor them in a firewall, currently almost all Internet traffic is encrypted and sent through firewalls via a single traffic type (HTTPS/SSL/TLS). This makes firewalls almost blind, and new methods have to be explored to look into encrypted traffic and be able to regulate and monitor it again. Here, however, there is a conflict of goals between the desire for perfect encryption and the desire to see into encrypted data. Mr. Bernhard explored the possibilities of a so-called next-generation firewall from the manufacturer Palo Alto for use in security infrastructures of SerNet.

Benefits: The findings of the work enabled a faster evaluation of the deployment possibilities of Palo Alto firewalls and the assessment of the further training effort for the products of this manufacturer.

Author: Tatjana Anisow
Carrier:University of East Westphalia-Lippe
Degree: Bachelor of Science: Applied Computer Science
Year: 2015

Topic: A global, publicly traded company with over 100 locations in more than 35 countries requires an Information Security Management (ISM) audit tool. Internal confidential data such as financial data, personnel data must be protected and, in addition, the special information security requirements that the customer has due to product protection must be met. The measures must be implemented and constantly audited; subsidiaries, business partners, joint ventures and suppliers must also be audited. The sought tool should standardize the audits, support the audit execution as well as facilitate the documentation, reports and proof fulfillment. For this purpose, the bachelor thesis elaborates all requirements for the audit tool and analyzes several with the aim of decision support.

Benefits: The insights gained not only help the company in its decision, but also the verinice team to see and optimize their own ISMS tool in comparison to others. In addition, the author was a permanent member of the verinice team during her dual studies and was able to contribute her academic insights here as well as benefit from the knowledge gained through day-to-day business.

Author: Holger Kaul
University: TU-Dresden, Faculty of Computer Science
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2015

Topic: The outsourcing of the processing of personal data requires a number of legal, contractual and organizational steps. These can be taken from the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) or the state data protection laws and, in the future, possibly corresponding EU regulations. The goal of the work is to model the resulting workflow with the help of the management system for information security "verinice" of the company SerNet GmbH.

Benefits: The performance of the SerNet software "verinice" has been significantly improved and could thus be offered even more successfully in the market.

Author: Juliana Gerlach
University: Administrative and Business Academy and University of Cooperative Education Göttingen
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2015

Topic: Modern Internet marketing wants to communicate in a targeted manner and address customers directly. How this can go successfully via an anonymously usable medium, such as the Internet, is the subject of this work. Communication develops on the Internet, where feedback comes about via provided content and its use and, in addition, a social interaction, which can be used directly for customer loyalty, support and other e-commerce areas in addition to the business initiation.

Benefits: SerNet enables dual studies in cooperation with the VWA Göttingen. While the students are closely involved in the work processes through their employment in the company, the topic of the technical thesis is freely determined in the university. In this case, there was only a small connection between the topic of the thesis and the day-to-day business about the concerns of marketing.

Author: Jannik Großkopf
University: Hochschule für Telekommunikation Leipzig (FH)
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2015

Topic: The way firewalls work is undergoing a lot of change. Whereas in the early days of the Internet it was easy to split computer communications into different traffic types and thereby both regulate and monitor them in a firewall, currently almost all Internet traffic is encrypted and sent through firewalls via a single traffic type (HTTPS/SSL/TLS). This makes firewalls almost blind, and new methods have to be explored to look into encrypted traffic and be able to regulate and monitor it again. Here, however, there is a conflict of goals between the desire for perfect encryption and the desire to see into encrypted data. In the bachelor thesis, a detailed analysis was undertaken of the tools with which "interception", i.e. breaking open encryption, can be done - but also illustrated how new encryption mechanisms aim to prevent this again in the future.

Benefits: The work provides an important insight for practical use in the firewall market for the future development of encryption technology. The practical work at SerNet is strongly influenced by it and helps to determine the offering portfolio in products and services.

Author: Nils Rodday
University: FH Münster, Department of Economics
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2013

Topic: The transfer of software usage concepts from classic PCs (mouse and keyboard) to tablets and smartphones (finger operation) is non-trivial and requires extensive research. The software "verinice" produced by SerNet is a Java application to be operated with keyboard and mouse, and there was little knowledge for the transfer to smart devices before the work.

Benefits: SerNet's development department gained valuable insights for transferring usage concepts from classic PCs running Windows, Linux or macOS to smart devices running Apple iOS or Android.

Author: Anne Cordes
Carrier: IHK Lüneburg
Type: Final thesis continuing education
Year: 2013

Topic: As the number of employees grew, it was no longer possible at SerNet from around 2012 to have all annual reviews completed directly by a person from the HR department. A methodology had to be developed to have the professional part performed by the team leaders from now on and to establish a process in which the team leaders can ultimately perform all components of the annual review, including salary negotiations. This process resides with SerNet's HR department as an ongoing development in a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle.

Benefits: Thanks to the cooperation of Ms. Cordes, the documentation of the annual reviews at SerNet in particular could be significantly improved, thus achieving a higher degree of continuity.

Author: Johannes Stillig
Carrier: Göttingen Academy of Administration and Business and University of Cooperative Education
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2011

Topic: Modern smart devices support e-commerce functions and have the ability to "know" their location at any time. This makes "location-based services" possible, which could also be used in retail, for example, to point out special offers in the vicinity of stores or to achieve more efficient booking or improved customer loyalty in the catering industry.

Benefits: SerNet enables dual studies in cooperation with the VWA Göttingen. While the students are closely involved in the work processes through their employment in the company, the topic of the technical thesis is freely determined in the university. In this case, there was no connection between the topic of the thesis and the day-to-day business.

Author: Sebastian Hagedorn
University: Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Applied Computer Science
Degree: Master
Year: 2011

Topic: The software "verinice" is produced by SerNet and is used for the management of information security according to the ISO 27001 standard. The proof of compliance - i.e. the fulfillment of legal and normative requirements - can be greatly simplified with software tools. As part of the master's thesis, a mapping was programmed - that is, the mapping of specified actions to concrete IT building blocks in a company.

Benefits: The performance of the SerNet software "verinice" was significantly improved and could thus be offered even more successfully on the market.

Author: Christoph Zauner
University: FH Hagenberg, University of Applied Sciences Bachelor's Degree Program, Computer and Media Security
Degree: Bachelor
Year: 2008

Topic: The BSI-IT-Grundschutz catalogs contain a variety of so-called hazard and measure catalogs, in which risks and their defense are presented in a structured manner and can be used in authorities and companies to protect their own infrastructure. SerNet works in an international software team on the production of the open source software "SAMBA", which enables data exchange between Linux and Windows computers. At the same time SerNet works as a consultant in the field of information security and provides the tool "verinice" for this purpose. The creation of a catalog module for "SAMBA" was thus possible at SerNet with optimized support from several specialized departments.

Benefits: Since the completion of the work, the BSI offers the module "SAMBA" in its basic protection catalogs. This has significantly increased SerNet's visibility in the market and significantly boosted sales of products and services in both the infrastructure area (software "SAMBA") and the security and compliance area (software "verinice").