INNOVATION SPIRIT
Cybersecurity: innovation at its purest
Given the sophistication of digital attacks, Societe Generale has made cybersecurity a central focus
in order to protect its customers, their data, and its Information Systems. Questions for Thierry Olivier,
Head of Information Systems Security for Societe Generale Group, on cybersecurity issues in an age
when banks are undergoing a digital transformation.
LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS_JUNE 2017 | 9
What are the main
cybersecurity issues
for banks?
Cybercrime has brought with
it four major risks. The oldest
risk relates to the availability
of our information systems.
However, it is essential that our customers can access
their online banking services anytime, anywhere, on any
device (ATAWAD). Next came external fraud, which targets
customer-facing infrastructure (online banking sites,
apps, etc.), and internal fraud, which targets the bank’s
internal systems. Finally, information leaks: theft of data,
even limited in scope, may lead to us losing the trust
of our customers, both individuals and businesses.
In light of these threats, what actions
have been taken by Societe Generale?
Societe Generale is constantly investing in order to
better protect its customers’ assets and transactions.
We ensure data security and adherence to bank
secrecy. We take action in five areas: The security
of applications and the security of all customer data,
whether personal or banking related; strengthening
the security we offer to our customers (with tools
that are both reliable and easy-to-use), and building
awareness and providing guidance to our customers
as well as our employees, because nearly 90% of attacks
worldwide take place through the company’s own staff.
For example, as soon as there is a non-compliant
transaction – a user who normally logs in during
the daytime is seen doing so in the middle of the
night – an alert is reported to our SOC (Security
Operating Center) which monitors how all computing
infrastructure and applications are being used, 24/7.
How do customers experience this?
Could you give us examples of solutions
offered by Societe Generale?
One of our leading solutions is the dynamic
security code, on the back of the bank card.
This is a built-in digital screen that displays a new code
every hour, making it impossible to reuse the data.
In six months, nearly 100,000 of our customers have
already adopted this solution. We also offer software
to make the customer’s own area on our website
more secure: Trusteer, which helps the user ensure
that the site he or she is viewing is not a fake site
that has stolen Societe Generale’s identity. Another
example is Secure Access, a solution dedicated
to businesses that secures the authentication and
validation of orders (payments or deposits).