Why a digital blackout is more serious than a power outage
Alexander Windbichler, CEO of Anexia Group, warns of European companies' growing dependence on dominant U.S. software.
Anyone who uses a U.S. cloud service potentially grants U.S. authorities access to their own data. This is governed by the CLOUD Act – regardless of where the server is physically located.
Since his appointment to the CISPE Board of Directors in 2025, Anexia Group CEO Alexander Windbichler has been drawing attention to precisely this issue.
A digital blackout would be worse than a power outage.
– Alexander Windbichler, Anexia Group CEO
His analogy points to Russia: In his assessment, the country has already experienced such a digital blackout—proof that political decisions can affect access to digital infrastructure as well, not just the energy supply. Without control over their own infrastructure, companies would have little legal recourse in an emergency, according to Windbichler—after all, data is both a core process and the backbone of the real economy.
Cloud Infrastructure from Anexia
Anexia offers a global cloud solution that is developed and secured in Europe, thereby ensuring digital sovereignty. The infrastructure is globally interconnected while meeting strict European data protection standards, providing customers with robust data control and transparency. With over 100 server locations worldwide—including data centers in Austria—Anexia is a reputable cloud provider and a European alternative to hyperscalers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Anexia is not subject to the CLOUD Act.
Here you can find the Germann version of the article: Kleine Zeitung
