Organized by the Cyber Excellence Hub, the 8th edition of the European Cyber Week 2023 will take place from November 21 to 23 in Rennes at the Couvent des Jacobins. b<>com is proud to announce its participation as a key partner. This year, we will be present with a booth (No. 32) to showcase our latest innovations in cybersecurity and discuss the challenges shaping the future of digital security. We interviewed Gaëtan Le Guelvouit, our cybersecurity expert and head of the Trust and Security laboratory, to discuss new challenges in digital security and innovative solutions, including b<>com Tag and b<>com Serenity.
Gaëtan, everyone says cybersecurity has become a major concern these days, but what exactly are we talking about, and how does b<>com position itself in this field?
The digitization of our society inevitably brings about an increasing cyber threat, often with critical consequences. Cybersecurity has become a major concern.
We have been addressing cybersecurity issues at b<>com from the very beginning with a cross-cutting approach. Our expertise revolves around three main themes: the security of connectivity infrastructure, data and individuals, and content security.
As a technological research institute, we develop sovereign technologies, meaning cybersecurity solutions that are controlled, robust, and independent, designed for the specific needs of our clients. We put our expertise to work in the service of digital trust and resilience in an innovative environment.
b<>com *Tag* is the featured solution on the booth this year. Can you introduce it to us?
One of our flagship solutions, b<>com *Tag*, perfectly embodies our commitment to data protection, especially their traceability and integrity in heterogeneous digital environments.
This technology embeds imperceptible information within multimedia data. It's a watermark, a digital tattoo that can include data sender and receiver IDs or an integrity code to ensure data hasn't been altered. This solution ensures a high level of trust during exchanges.
Our watermarking solution allows us to trace the source of potential data leaks and prove their authenticity. This can be particularly useful in the case of sensitive data disclosure through video conferences or to certify pieces of evidence.
How can *Tag* address specific security needs?
By linking sources and data, our digital watermarking solution b<>com *Tag* is a natural tool to combat deep fakes or to certify that an image hasn't been generated by an AI generator. It's a simple and secure way to separate the wheat from the chaff, both for security professionals (biometric authentication, forgery attempts, evidence) and the general public.
Using *Tag*'s integrity check is also a guarantee when audio or video recordings are meant to become pieces of evidence. In particular, images from video surveillance systems in cities, banks, sensitive industrial sites, or captured during law enforcement or military operations are beyond dispute if they bear the integrity seal of *Tag*.
To facilitate these uses, we are working on integrating our video watermarking solution directly into surveillance cameras. We also plan to provide the technology to video conferencing solutions by developing plugins.
We see more and more cyberattacks on hospitals in the news. Can you explain where these attacks come from and how b<>com could enhance security in this field?
Attacks on hospitals are obviously a major concern. Most of them exploit compromised passwords as an entry point. We have developed a solution tailored to this context: b<>com *Serenity*. It introduces a new authentication factor based on the digital fingerprint of the device, adding an extra layer of protection to the authentication process without impacting user habits.
By associating a user account with the hardware and software configuration of their device, our approach prevents hackers from reusing login information obtained in phishing campaigns, for example.
How do you see the future of cybersecurity as threats continue to evolve?
As in any good game of cat and mouse, the threat is constantly evolving. It becomes more sophisticated, and we're witnessing complex and protracted attacks that exploit numerous vulnerabilities to reach their target.
Thanks to media coverage, reports of attacks, and shared experiences, I see a growing global awareness of the cyber risk. Most digital users now feel concerned, and some of them know how to prevent risks and how to respond. Nevertheless, I believe there is still room for awareness and education. It's the primary lever for self-protection and often the least costly.
We particularly believe in the Zero Trust paradigm at b<>com. It's an elegant approach to the problem of detecting and limiting the impact of attacks. The technologies we are working on are building blocks that fit this type of strategy. I think it will become more widespread.
We will continue to develop innovative solutions along these lines to have a concrete impact on prevention, detection, and incident response. We rely on our collaborations, including Viaccess-Orca, Secure IC, Naval Group, Airbus, and Xvid Solutions.
Finally, what would you say to companies and organizations looking to strengthen their digital security and protect their sensitive data?
Cybersecurity threats exist at all levels, from CAC 40 companies to individuals, and take various forms. However, it is still possible to prevent them and minimize their impact. Through a security policy adapted to the specific needs of businesses and data, applied and regularly updated, we can prevent most attacks. I'm thinking, for example, of MFA, with, why not, technology like *Serenity* to facilitate its adoption.
And for unfortunately successful attacks, up-to-date and tested continuity and business recovery plans are the best weapons to minimize the impact. In the event of data leaks, the video watermarking solution *Tag* can be a way to identify their source, in addition to the preventive aspect of such marking.
