Cybersecurity Charter: a collective commitment to a safer digital world

In recent years, cybersecurity has become a major priority for all businesses, but not only. It has also risen to the top of the agenda, as shown by the latest barometer of local authorities' cyber maturity. In 2024, 1 in 10 local authorities said they had been the victim of one or more cyber attacks, and only 14% felt well prepared in the event of an attack. The consequences? Data theft, business interruption, financial loss or damage to reputation. So what can be done about this growing risk?

The city of Nantes may have found the solution: what if, in the face of cyber-attacks, mutual aid became an effective lever? This is the challenge taken up by the Cybersecurity Territorial Solidarity Charter, launched by the urban area in collaboration with several local organizations and companies (Nantes University, La Poste...). Here's a look back at this ambitious initiative, of which SNCF Connect & Tech is a partner.

A virtuous dynamic for the entire region

The signing of this charter comes at a time when threats are multiplying. Artificial intelligence may not yet be revolutionizing attacks, but it is considerably increasing their effectiveness: automated phishing, massive exploitation of known vulnerabilities, targeted disinformation campaigns, sorting through stolen data... These are just some of the challenges that companies and local authorities must now face on a massive scale.

Local roots for digital resilience

The aim is simple: to federate the region's economic, academic and institutional players around principles of solidarity, mutual aid and skills sharing, to better defend against cyber attacks.

Based in Nantes for 25 years, SNCF Connect & Tech is actively involved in the region's innovation networks, notably as a partner of La Cantine X La French Tech Nantes.

Based on solidarity, this charter is therefore a logical next step in the company's commitment to consolidate this territorial anchorage by promoting concrete mutual aid.
 

“Proximity builds trust, which is essential for promoting the sharing of best practices and experiences. In the event of a crisis, this strong local connection translates into concrete support: sharing skills, technical assistance, etc. This involvement can even extend to sponsorship, with members of our Nantes teams intervening in cyber crisis situations, thereby consolidating their expertise while supporting the parties concerned.”, Francis Bergey, Cybersecurity Director, SNCF Connect & Tech

Exchanges to help the entire ecosystem grow

One of the pillars of the charter is the circulation of feedback. In a field as fast-moving as cybersecurity, every attack or simulated attack is an opportunity to learn, provided it can be shared in complete confidence.

By joining this collective, SNCF Connect & Tech also intends to get closer to other profiles of organizations, with sometimes very different stakes: start-ups, industrial SMEs, local authorities... This cross-fertilization of points of view enables us to question our own practices and reveal sometimes unsuspected risks. Attackers communicate with each other, and it's important that organizations do the same to counter them.

Building trust for better defense

This charter reaffirms an essential conviction: cybersecurity is first and foremost built on openness, dialogue and cooperation. It is by focusing on proximity, teamwork and the sharing of experience that companies can stand firm in the face of today's and tomorrow's waves of attacks.
 

For SNCF Connect & Tech, this signature reflects a lasting commitment to a safer, more supportive and more humane digital world.

"In Nantes, we've found a mobilized, agile ecosystem that inspires us. This commitment is fully in line with our mission: to make digital a lever of trust and resilience for all.", Francis Bergey, Cybersecurity Director SNCF Connect & Tech.