The challenge on the Cubersecurity acceleration strategy

After the cyber attacks which targeted the hospitals of Dax and Villedfranche-sur-Saône, Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday a plan to strengthen the protection of citizens, administrations, communities and businesses.

Digital technology is present in all areas of French life today. Support for many innovations that benefit everyone, it also induces risks in terms of security and economic sovereignty.

In addition, the development of teleworking during the health crisis has contributed to blurring the line between professional and personal IT tools, further increasing the vulnerability of systems. In this context, the government wished, via the cyber acceleration strategy, to support the development of the French cybersecurity sector.

As such, this strategy will aim to bring out French champions of cybersecurity, both to support the development of a sector with significant economic potential, and to guarantee our country mastery of technologies essential to guaranteeing its sovereignty.

Cybersecurity is the ability to protect data and services offered in the digital space against attacks that could compromise their availability, integrity or confidentiality.

It includes three main issues:

• An issue of trust: users must be able to benefit from the possibilities offered by digital technology without fearing for the security of their data, for the availability of the services on which they depend or for their physical integrity;
• An economic issue: the competitiveness of our companies is based more and more on their mastery of digital tools. Thus, the ability to protect against computer attacks is a vital issue both to guarantee their growth and to maintain the confidence of their customers. In addition, the cybersecurity sector is a sector with significant economic potential and a source of jobs;
• A sovereignty issue: France must preserve its autonomy of action and have scientific, technical and operational skills, but also its own industrial capacities to face the challenges of the future.

President Emmanuel Macron took advantage of a meeting with officials from the hospitals of Dax and Villefranche-sur-Saône, recently victims of cyberattacks, to unveil the broad outlines of his national strategy for accelerating cybersecurity, with ‘€ 1 billion over five years. Objective: to triple the turnover of the economic sector, accelerate research and generally raise the level of IT security.

To face the growing threat of computer attacks, Emmanuel Macron announced that he wanted to invest heavily in research and development, strengthening training and raising public awareness.

Emmanuel Macron detailed on Thursday the main directions for the acceleration of the national cybersecurity strategy, while digital offensives have multiplied in recent months in the territory. According to the National Information Systems Security Agency (Anssi), they would have quadrupled between 2019 and 2020, from around fifty to 200 as regards « operators of vital importance » .

The head of state first pledged increased cybersecurity in the health sector. « We are faced with a vital risk », ruled the head of state, who announced the creation of a permanent observatory of the level of security of health establishments to coordinate practices, monitor vulnerabilities and pool experiences.
Then Emmanuel Macron declined a package of measures that will be funded to the tune of one billion euros, including 720 million from public funds.

As part of the recovery plan and the investment program for the future, France will invest an additional one billion euros by 2025 in this national strategy. They will be in addition to funding already provided for assistance with the digital transition of administrations. Additional resources (136 million euros) will be allocated to Anssi, in particular to carry out safety diagnostics with health establishments and local authorities, relying on trusted local players. Solutions will be tested on pilot sites (a territory, a hospital) and then replicated nationally. Anssi also wants to strengthen the means of detecting attacks, by creating regional CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Team), in other words structures capable of reacting effectively in the event of an emergency and of assisting victims.

To develop its protection capacities, France is also counting on the development of cutting-edge technological solutions. Five hundred million euros will be devoted to it, by funding research center projects (Inria, CNRS, CEA, etc.) or by collaborative projects with private companies. Only cutting-edge technologies will be able, for example, to help SMEs automate the security of their information systems, effectively secure connected objects or address the specific problems of certain sectors.

« The objective of this plan is to strengthen training in the field of cybersecurity », also advances Emmanuel Macron. Thus, in the health sector in particular, establishments will be invited to systematically devote between 5% and 10% of their digital budgets to cybersecurity and the training of their staff.

Finally, the head of state wants to emphasize awareness. « The subject of acculturation is essential, » he said. You don’t have to be an expert to thwart most cyberattacks. They are often based on negligence, on a password that is too obvious, a forgotten update, a suspicious request by email.  » On its Twitter account, the Elysée has already launched its awareness campaign by posting a short video inspired by the Bureau des Légendes series inviting Internet users to « adopt the right reflexes to thwart attacks ».

The creation of a Cyber ​​Campus at La Défense in Paris completes the whole, which will be able to accommodate over 25,900 m2 by the end of the year more than 1,000 experts from 60 public and private actors.

Finally, the State is also investing in the « cyber campus », to strengthen the links between all French cybersecurity players. In September 2021, this thirteen-storey building, in the district of La Défense, near Paris, will bring together in a single place the cream of the know-how, private and public: large companies (Orange CyberDefense, Atos, Capgemini , Airbus Defense & Space, Sopra Steria, etc.), SMEs, start-ups, administrations, research and innovation laboratories, training centers, etc.

At the same time, in the police and judicial fields, France will continue and intensify its strategy of European and international cooperation in an attempt to dismantle cybercriminal networks, often refugees in lawless areas. Recent successes have brought down Emotet, a gigantic infrastructure that has held hundreds of thousands of internet users to ransom for years, or even arrested several Egregor group hackers.

The objectives set for 2025, the tripling of turnover in the sector (to 25 billion euros) and the doubling of jobs (+38,000).
« We need to go further, faster, to be at the forefront, » said Emmanuel Macron, who also called for everyone’s commitment. “We need to raise awareness: you don’t have to be an expert to thwart most cyber attacks. They often rely on negligence: a password that is too obvious, a questionable file, a suspicious request by email … « , explains the President who calls in case of doubt to contact the government site.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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