Cybersecurity acceleration strategy: strong ambition and substantial resources
On February 18, the President of the French Republic presented the national cybersecurity strategy. As with the other innovation acceleration strategies already launched as part of the stimulus plan, the aim is toharness the cybersecurity industry’s strong research and growth potential, to promote the development of a top-quality French offering and the mastery of key technologies in critical applications (such as industry, healthcare and mobility), and to massively disseminate cybersecurity within businesses and society as a whole. A total of €839 million has been earmarked to finance the cybersecurity acceleration strategy, including over €500 million in public funding.
The cyber acceleration strategy is based on 4 priorities:
- Developing sovereign and innovative cybersecurity solutions;
- Strengthen links and synergies between industry players;
- Support demand (individuals, businesses, local authorities and the State), in particular by raising awareness while promoting national offers;
- Train more young people and professionals in cybersecurity professions, where there is a serious imbalance.
At the heart of this strategy, the 20,000 m2 Cyber Campus at La Défense will soon bring together some sixty key players in the sector (major groups, start-ups, public players, training organizations, research players and associations). Syntec Numérique is a member of the Cyber Campus, having contributed to the mission that prefigured it, and will be making its resources available to help drive the industry forward.
Syntec Numérique and its members will be keeping a particularly close eye on the Call for Projects (AAP) aimed at supporting the development of critical technology bricks (2021/2022). A total of €400 million, including €200 million in public funding, will be earmarked for R&D projects co-financed with private cybersecurity players.
The acceleration strategy also provides ANSSI with an additional budget of €136 million to strengthen the cybersecurity of critical organizations in the state sphere, which will help reinforce ANSSI’s teams and expertise. Syntec Numérique is an active partner, and a founding member of Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, the national system for raising awareness, preventing and assisting victims of cybermolestation for individuals, businesses and local authorities. The company also launched the ExpertCyber label , andpresented the first 50 professionals with the label. Numerous awareness-raising campaigns are also underway, reaching out to a wide range of audiences, and the “Securing the Territories”call for expressions of interest (AMI) and projects (AAP ) will be a useful complement.
The strategy also calls for the creation of an “observatory of digital security professions and qualifications”, as a logical follow-up to the ANSSI’s list of professions, drawn up in partnership with Syntec Numérique, to analyze skills requirements and the match with existing training courses for the cybersecurity sector. Syntec Numérique is delighted with this initiative, and is making the industry’s data on this subject available to the observatory.