Cybernetica (Estonian company). Cybernetica is an Estonian IT company best known for development of Estonia's e-Estonia X-Road and Internet voting system. Established in 1997, it is a successor of the applied research unit of the Institute of Cybernetics of the Academy of Sciences of Estonia, established in 1960.

Cybernetica is an expert in the in the e-governance sector, developing mission-critical systems for various applications such as secure data exchange, digital identity, cybersecurity, tax and customs systems, privacy enhancing technologies and artificial intelligence. The company has deployed its technologies in more than 35 countries worldwide.

The company has offices in Tallinn and Tartu, with around 250 employees. The Chairman of the Board is Oliver Väärtnõu; the Chairman of the Supervisory Board is Margus Freudenthal.

History

Key events and people 
The legal entity Cybernetica AS was established on 12 May 1997. The company came to be after the Insitute of Cybernetics at the Estonian Academy of Sciences established in the 1960s was divided into two parts after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. One part, focusing on fundamental research, was moved under Tallinn Technical University, and the division focusing on applied research and development was established as Cybernetica AS.

Ülo Jaaksoo has played a major role in Cybernetica's development as a company:

1989–1997: Director of Institute of Cybernetics

1997–2012: Chairman of the Board at Cybernetica

2013–2023: Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Cybernetica

Monika Oit was paramount to the development of Cybernetica's Information Security Research Institute:

1997–2007: Chief Scientific Officer

2003–2007: Member of the Supervisory Board

2007–2013: Member of the Board

e-Estonia and other major milestones 
Cybernetica has been a strategic partner to the Estonian state in developing the globally renowned e-governance. In

1998 – Timestamping technology, and in creation of the Digital Signature Act in 2000.

2000 – Digital Signature Act

2001 – X-Road data exchange technology

2004 – e-Customs system created upon accession to the European Union

2005 – Internet voting technology

2009 – Marine radio communications and surveillance on blue borders of Estonia

2011 – Secure multi-party computation technology Sharemind MPC piloted for The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an organisation under the US Department of Defense

2014 – UXP technology launched, based on X-Road and deployed in more than 10 countries

2017 – SplitKey digital identity technology launched, used in Smart-ID in the Baltics and in Iceland with over 3 million users

2019 – Remote air traffic control tower launched, sold to Adacel in 2021

2023 – Digital identity wallet MVP solution developed for Estonian Information System Authority

Areas of activity

Data Exchange 
Cybernetica has developed the Unified eXchange Platform (UXP), an advanced data exchange technology. UXP was created by the authors of X-Road, which the World Bank has recognised as a key technology in the rise of Estonia’s digital society. Built on a distributed architecture, UXP facilitates secure, encrypted, and mutually trusted data exchange between institutions connected to the platform. This improves data flow between information systems, enhances transparency, and expands citizens' access to e-services.

UXP plays a vital role in the digital transformation of societies worldwide, including in Aruba, the Bahamas, Benin, Greenland, Réunion, Namibia, Ukraine, Tunisia, and Malaysia. It is also used in the U.S. healthcare sector in collaboration with the Center for Medical Interoperability and in Japanese trust banking with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. Additionally, Cybernetica has developed a data exchange platform for the Estfeed Elering smart network.

Digital Identity 
In the field of digital identity, Cybernetica has developed SplitKey technology, enabling secure personal identification and digital signing via smartphones. Compliant with international standards and regulations (PSD2, eIDAS, EAL4+), SplitKey ensures that digital signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten ones. The technology leverages threshold cryptography, eliminating the need for additional hardware such as SIM cards or other hardware.

Cybernetica also designed the architecture for Azerbaijan’s Mobile ID service. In 2023, the company developed a preliminary version of a digital identity wallet for the Estonian Information System Authority, aligning with eIDAS2 requirements.

Cybersecurity 
Cybernetica provides solutions to enhance cyber situational awareness, allowing organisations to better understand and manage technological risks. The company has participated in multiple European Defence Fund (EDF) and European Space Agency (ESA) research projects, including FAMOUS and ECYSAP.

Tax and Customs Information Systems 
Since 2003, Cybernetica has been developing the Tax and Customs Board’s import, export, and transit customs information systems. Over time, the company has expanded its work to include excise, VAT, and customs tariff information systems. In 2025, Cybernetica will begin updating the income and social tax information system, which serves over 100 000 businesses each month.

Surveillance Systems 
Cybernetica develops VHF radio communication, vessel traffic management, and border surveillance systems. Its maritime situational awareness solutions enhance defense capabilities and homeland security and are deployed in more than 100 locations worldwide. These include the European Union and NATO’s external borders, Estonia’s maritime border, large portions of Indonesia’s coastal waters, Jebel Ali—one of the world’s largest container ports in the UAE—and Malaysia, home to some of the busiest ports globally.

Privacy Technologies 
Cybernetica has developed Sharemind, a privacy-preserving data analysis technology. Sharemind has been implemented in various sectors, such as Sophia Genetics, to enable secure genetic data management and analysis in the cloud, and in a project for Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to enhance tourism statistics using mobile positioning data.

Since 2011, Cybernetica has collaborated with DARPA, a research arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, and since 2015, with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on privacy technology advancements. The company has also worked with the European Space Agency on the ShareSat project and with Eurostat on privacy-preserving data solutions.

Information Security Institute 
Cybernetica’s technologies are rooted in extensive in-house research. The company operates the Information Security Research Institute, an accredited research entity that participates in international projects such as SysFlex, OneNet, Manticus Apollo, and INTERFACE. It collaborates with universities, research institutions, and standardization bodies worldwide.

Today, the Information Security Research Institute focuses on post-quantum cryptography and artificial intelligence, advising the Estonian government on implementing secure AI solutions.

Other Areas 
Cybernetica has been active in standardisation since 1997, contributing to the translation of numerous ISO/IEC information security standards. The company is also one of the key developers of Estonia’s national information security standard.

References

Technology companies of Estonia