Cybersecurity is a major challenge for local governments, which are facing an increase in cyberattacks and increasingly complex threats. In a context where protecting citizens’ data is a priority, public agencies must adopt effective defense strategies while working within often limited resources. The cross-functional approach taken by the Greater Belfort region illustrates this need: integrating security from the very outset of project design, raising awareness among all teams, and relying on tailored solutions to protect digital infrastructure.
In this interview, Mathieu Fournet, CIO of the Greater Belfort Metropolitan Area, shares his experience with implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to secure the metropolitan area’s online services. He discusses the challenges encountered, the criteria for selecting a cybersecurity solution, and the tangible benefits observed following the deployment of OGO Security’s WAF. This testimonial highlights the importance of proactive web application protection and the need for close collaboration with specialized partners.
What are the main cybersecurity challenges in your metropolitan area, and how do you go about protecting your facilities and data?
“I am the Chief Information Officer for the Greater Belfort metropolitan area, which comprises 52 municipalities. We manage various public services, such as drinking water, wastewater treatment, and sports facilities, and we are also leading a region-wide digital school initiative.
Cybersecurity has become a major concern, especially since the COVID-19 crisis, during which we have seen a significant increase in attacks. Our organization is not large enough to have a team dedicated exclusively to cybersecurity. We have therefore adopted a cross-functional approach: every member of our teams – whether in systems administration, networking, or application development – must incorporate security from the very beginning of project design.
With the proliferation of online services and web applications accessible from outside the network, the attack surface has expanded. Historically, when systems were based on a closed client-server architecture, managing security was simpler. Today, we face a variety of threats, including DDoS attacks and attempts to compromise citizens’ sensitive data, such as civil registry records or supporting documents submitted as part of administrative procedures.”
Public agencies face complex and ever-evolving cybersecurity challenges. The proliferation of online services and web applications accessible from outside the organization has significantly expanded the attack surface, making information systems more vulnerable to cyber threats. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that state and local governments accounted for 24% of ransomware attack victims in 2023, underscoring cybercriminals’ growing interest in these targets.
The cross-functional approach adopted by Grand Belfort, which incorporates security from the very beginning of project design, aligns with industry best practices. This strategy, known as “Security by Design,” is particularly relevant given the rise in “zero-day” attacks and the increasing sophistication of social engineering techniques. To reinforce this approach, it is recommended to implement multi-factor authentication mechanisms – particularly for accounts with privileged access – and to deploy incident detection and response (EDR/XDR) solutions for proactive system monitoring.
The management of citizens’ sensitive data, such as civil status records and supporting documents, requires special attention. The use of advanced cryptographic techniques, such as homomorphic encryption or attribute-based encryption, can provide additional protection by allowing encrypted data to be processed without decrypting it. Furthermore, adopting secure, GDPR-compliant cloud solutions can improve system resilience while reducing the risks associated with on-premises infrastructure. Finally, close collaboration with ANSSI and participation in attack simulation exercises can strengthen the metropolitan area’s ability to detect and respond effectively to security incidents.
Why did you choose to partner with OGO Security for your web security project?
“A key criterion in our selection process was to prioritize a French cybersecurity solution. Local governments must retain control over their tools, and we have seen in the past the geopolitical consequences that have forced certain government agencies to urgently replace foreign-made solutions.
OGO Security emerged as the obvious choice for several reasons. First, their solution was easy to deploy. We had already been considering purchasing it when we were hit by a DDoS attack. In less than two hours, OGO restored access to our servers using their WAF. This responsiveness and ease of implementation convinced us of its value.”
Choosing a national WAF cybersecurity solution offers strategic and technical advantages for local governments. A French solution ensures better compliance with local regulations on data protection and IT security, particularly the GDPR. This compliance is particularly important for public agencies that handle sensitive citizen data. Furthermore, a national solution offers greater responsiveness to changes in standards and threats specific to the French context. The use of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based WAF, such as those offered by certain French companies, provides dynamic and adaptive protection against constantly evolving cyberthreats, without requiring complex manual configuration.
The speed and ease of deploying a WAF solution are essential criteria, particularly in an emergency situation such as a DDoS attack. A modern WAF can be set up in a matter of hours, providing immediate protection against sophisticated attacks such as SQL injections, XSS attacks, and intrusion attempts. This rapid deployment is made possible by advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, which automatically detect and block abnormal behavior and botnets. Furthermore, a national WAF hosted in France and operated by French experts ensures a better understanding of local challenges and a response better tailored to the specific needs of local governments.
Can you describe the benefits and results observed from using the OGO solution?
“Adopting a SaaS-based WAF has radically changed our approach to application security. The goal is to stop attacks before they reach our servers, and the statistics from the OGO platform have revealed the true extent of the problem to us. We discovered that we were experiencing daily attacks that we hadn’t been aware of before.
During a second attack, a small data breach was detected on an application that was not yet protected by OGO. This incident reinforced our conviction regarding the importance of rolling out the solution across our entire infrastructure. Today, we have secured nearly a hundred URLs, and we have observed a significant improvement in the stability of our services. We no longer experience the unexpected crashes we used to have, which were likely linked to undetected attacks.
Furthermore, the solution allows us to optimize our bandwidth usage. We found that our network traffic was being disrupted by “background noise” generated by malicious requests. By blocking these unwanted traffic flows, we’ve reduced the unnecessary load on our infrastructure.”
Among the benefits of public agencies using a WAF software solution is the increased visibility into the cyberthreats they face. These tools reveal the true extent of the attacks they suffer, which are often invisible to other security measures. A WAF performs in-depth analysis of HTTP/HTTPS traffic, detecting sophisticated attack patterns such as SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), and session hijacking attempts. This granular inspection uncovers threats that would go unnoticed with traditional firewalls, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of the threat landscape targeting public agencies’ web applications.
Visibility into traffic on protected applications and websites is another major benefit of WAF solutions for the public sector. By deploying a WAF, public agencies gain a detailed overview of interactions with their web applications. This visibility extends beyond simple threat detection to include analyzing user behavior, identifying traffic anomalies, and understanding application usage patterns. This information is essential for optimizing application performance, adjusting security policies, and making informed decisions regarding the allocation of IT resources.
The effectiveness of a WAF in providing protection compared to unprotected systems is particularly notable in the context of public agencies. A WAF acts as a first line of defense, filtering and blocking attacks before they reach application servers. This proactive approach significantly reduces the load on internal infrastructure and minimizes the risk of sensitive data being compromised. This adaptability is particularly valuable for public agencies that manage critical data and are often the target of sophisticated attacks.
Which aspects of the OGO solution and the team support do you find most beneficial?
“The fact that the solution is SaaS-based is a real advantage. It keeps malicious traffic away from our internal infrastructure and makes deployment easier. In the event of an attack, it’s essential to be able to count on responsive support staff. OGO offers this proximity and availability, which is crucial in a crisis situation.
Furthermore, the tool is intuitive to use. The interface is clear, and our teams were quickly trained to use the dashboard and interpret alerts. The solution does not require advanced technical expertise to be effective.”
Using a SaaS-based WAF software solution offers significant cybersecurity benefits for public agencies. This deployment model keeps malicious traffic away from internal infrastructure, thereby reducing the load on servers and improving service stability. Cloud-based WAFs, in particular, provide protection against Layer 7 DDoS attacks, maintaining application availability even in the face of high traffic volumes. This proactive approach filters and blocks malicious requests before they reach the infrastructure, thereby optimizing bandwidth usage and improving overall system performance. In addition, SaaS solutions offer greater flexibility and scalability, quickly adapting to the changing needs of public agencies without requiring significant hardware investments.
The ease of integration and use of a SaaS WAF solution is a key factor for teams at public agencies. An intuitive user interface and clear dashboards reduce the learning curve and enable security teams to become operational quickly. This ease of use does not compromise the effectiveness of the protection, as modern WAFs incorporate behavioral analysis and machine learning technologies to detect sophisticated attack patterns and subtle anomalies in HTTP/HTTPS traffic. The combination of ease of use and effective protection enables public agencies to strengthen their security posture without requiring advanced technical expertise, while ensuring ongoing compliance with data protection regulations.
If you had to summarize your experience with OGO Security, what would you say?
“Simplicity, personal attention, flexibility, and responsiveness”
