Valeria Faure Muntian, Députée - A Cyber Hero by CaptainCyber

Your cyber CV?

I am a deputy of the Loire region and vice-president of the economic affairs commission. I am very invested in the digital transformation of the State and the economy.

What is cyber for you?

Cybersecurity, first and foremost, is hygiene and it's like closing the door of your home. Everyone needs to be acculturated to this issue and therefore, on a daily basis, we need to close the doors and the breaches and this will avoid major disasters.

Is France well protected?

We are very good on a certain level, that is to say the vital level, which is why the ANSSI is working. On the other hand, we are not very good on the day-to-day level, on the average company, on the other sectors of activity. And then, globally, in terms of general culture of our fellow citizens.

We are taking decisions that would allow us to train and inform our fellow citizens, whether it is about training, whether it is about school and digital technology in high school, but also in middle school and primary school. And then, globally, we do evangelism, which is what I am doing today at the FIC.

Is France behind in cyber matters?

Well, we are not behind either. But we have to put it into perspective compared to other European countries. We still see some of them struggling with the implementation of a certain number of European directives on cybersecurity. On the other hand, we are working, for example, on the digitalization of our SMEs. There is a whole program that has been set up by Bercy. So, cybersecurity should be included in this. There is a lot of work being done in schools, so cybersecurity should be included in that. But we won't be able to change the current generation like that instantly.

We need to understand digital culture because we have been digitizing at full speed. And if we are constantly waving the fear of the cyber threat around, we won't be digitizing. And those who are afraid of it and those who are far away from digital today will continue to be even more so.

What is the role of the human factor in cyber within the company?

The human factor is neglected and this is why insurers, moreover, must require the company director, when he insures it, to train his employees, to control his networks, to make backups and so on. And I think that this is a culture that needs to be changed because human risk is a major risk in cyber.

There is a whole awareness to be made and learning to be done and specific training to be put in place. But here, our role as legislators is also to train the trainers.

Does the President of the Republic think cyber all day long?

Mr. President is aware of the challenges of digital and cyber issues. But I think he also wants to reach a certain consensus at the European level before putting major means at the French level. I don't have the impression that the subject is totally neglected. But we can do even better.