"Protecting society in the age of cyber threats"

Why is cybersecurity so important when it comes to protecting our societies?

Philippe Keryer/ Cybersecurity is a key enabler of global stability. In today’s digital age, the critical systems we rely on to transfer money, prove our identity, keep planes in the air and defend sovereign territory have become prime targets for increasingly frequent and sophisticated cyberattacks. 

With digital technology permeating every part of our lives – from digital payments and self-driving cars to AI-enabled healthcare and access control systems – data breaches are now only the tip of the iceberg. Today, a cybersecurity incident can have serious implications for businesses and communities, and potentially even compromise the foundational systems of our societies.

At Thales, we play a key role in protecting data, communication systems and critical infrastructure – the very things that allow people to go about their everyday lives, keep the economy running and protect the sovereign interests of nations around the world. 

In 2024, more than 1 billion people were affected by cybersecurity breaches in the space of just six months – a fivefold increase on the equivalent figure a year earlier. That’s why it’s so important to protect these assets. On average, Thales experts thwart more than 63 billion cyberattacks every month.

Is it possible to have sustainable development without security?

Philippe Keryer/ Sustainable development is about more than merely protecting the planet. 

The recent escalation of geopolitical tensions and the upsurge in cyberattacks serve as salutary reminders that sustainable development cannot happen in an insecure world. The economy and the public services we rely on cannot operate safely and dependably without physical and digital security.

How is the future shaping up for the Group’s cybersecurity business?

Philippe Keryer/ Thales is one of the world’s top five players in the cybersecurity market, with 6,000 experts operating in 68 countries. 

The recent acquisitions of Imperva, a world leader in data and application security, and Tesserent, a major cyber player in Australia and New Zealand, have helped us further consolidate our position in this market. Our consistent investment in emerging threat analysis and critical infrastructure resilience reflects the fact that our expertise in these areas – like our expertise in AI – feeds into everything we do.

The Group’s goal is clear: by 2030, in an effort to harness the power of cybersecurity to drive sustainable development, we aim to have doubled the number of customers who rely on our solutions.