--- title: 'In cyber defence, no one wins alone - Maria IACONO, Les Assises de la cybersécurité' url: 'https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/resources/tprm-academy/articles/en-cyberdefense-personne-ne-gagne-seul-maria-iacono-les-assises-de-la-cybersecurite' markdown: 'https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/resources/tprm-academy/articles/en-cyberdefense-personne-ne-gagne-seul-maria-iacono-les-assises-de-la-cybersecurite.md' lang: en date: '2026-10-01' description: 'Les Assises offers a unique vantage point on the cybersecurity ecosystem. Which emerging signals do you consider most important today? We have seen several major issues emerge in succession: growing awareness of our technological dependence on the United States, and the arrival of new artificial in…' taxonomy: category: - tprm tag: - Article thematic: - 'Cyber Voices' --- # In cyber defence, no one wins alone - Maria IACONO, Les Assises de la cybersécurité [‹‹ Back](https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/resources/tprm-academy/articles)# In cyber defence, no one wins alone - Maria IACONO, Les Assises de la cybersécurité ## Les Assises offers a unique vantage point on the cybersecurity ecosystem. Which emerging signals do you consider most important today? We have seen several major issues emerge in succession: growing awareness of our technological dependence on the United States, and the arrival of new artificial intelligence players that have disrupted established models and weakened the foundations of trust. These issues are crucial, but they must not distract us from our primary adversary: attackers. In a highly tense geopolitical environment, they have increasing resources at their disposal and may serve the interests of states. We must therefore focus on the right priorities: working towards greater autonomy and adapting to technological disruption, yes, but without losing sight of cybersecurity’s primary mission, which remains defending organisations. ## The theme of Les Assises 2026, taking place from 7 to 10 October in Monaco, is “Let’s Dare !”. What should France and Europe dare to do more of today? France has built a great deal over the past thirty years: a structured national ecosystem, Cyber Campuses, a strong InterCERT network and highly active associations. Our weakness now lies at the European level. We need stronger connections between campuses, institutions, associations and CISOs across the different Member States. Les Assises is not intended to become “the European Assises”: its model is based on high-quality exchanges between French decision-makers and solution providers. It can, however, help this community work more effectively with its European counterparts. That is the purpose of ECSO’s stronger presence at Les Assises 2026. Our network remains largely national; we must now give it a stronger European dimension. ## How can Europe strengthen its strategic autonomy without breaking off dialogue with major US providers? A complete break would be unrealistic and could weaken organisations’ defences. But we can no longer accept the same terms as before. European CISOs must demand more when it comes to data protection and hosting; international providers, for their part, have an interest in listening to these expectations. Strategic autonomy is not isolation: it is the ability to rebalance relationships, negotiate and exercise greater choice over our dependencies. The initiatives taken by some institutions to support sovereign solutions are courageous, but the broader response will also require more demanding agreements with foreign players. > *“Our priority must be to build a stronger European network, a true ‘campus of campuses’.”* ## Has cybersecurity truly become a driver of competitiveness and value creation? The challenge is no longer simply to convince senior executives. In many organisations, awareness is already there. The main obstacle is often budgetary, in a constrained economic environment, but it is also operational. Cybersecurity is not about endlessly adding layers of protection: solutions must be integrated with existing tools, some of which are old or obsolete, while practices evolve and skills are developed. We also need to look beyond large enterprises. The backbone of the French economy is a network of mid-sized companies, SMEs, hospitals and service providers that make up large organisations’ supply chains. This is where a significant share of our collective vulnerability lies today. ## Are questionnaires, audits, certifications and ratings still enough to establish trust with suppliers? They are necessary, but they cannot be the endpoint of the process. We can spend hours filling in questionnaires without getting any closer to the reality on the ground. I believe more strongly in a collaborative approach: large organisations must engage their service providers, raise their awareness, broaden the scope of their audits and help them address their vulnerabilities. An attack on a small supplier can immediately affect its client’s reputation and operations. In cyber defence, no one wins alone. Trust is not simply a matter of documentary evidence; it is built through ongoing support across the entire value chain. ## Is artificial intelligence still a technological disruption, or have we already entered a deeper economic and geopolitical transformation? Technology has almost taken a back seat. We are seeing new players emerge with the ability to reshape the balance of power in a market that directly affects defence tools and public trust. This disruption is therefore more sensitive than in other sectors. But AI is not exclusively American. The projects presented for the Les Assises Innovation Award demonstrate the quality of European start-ups. The real challenge now is to fund them and keep them in Europe. When they are acquired by US investment funds, we recreate the very dependence we are trying to reduce. Our priority must be to build a stronger European network, a true “campus of campuses”, capable of connecting expertise, funding and initiatives. ### About Maria Iacono As Director of Les Assises de la cybersécurité and Ready For IT, [Maria Iacono](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-iacono-0a040711/) is a prominent figure in bringing together the French cybersecurity ecosystem. Through these two events, she fosters dialogue between public- and private-sector decision-makers on the major challenges of digital trust and technological transformation. Cyber Voices | tprm Written on 01 Oct 26 Enjoyed this article? Subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a new post! [ Subscribe ](https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/newsletter) --- ## Navigation - Parent: [TPRM Academy](https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/resources/tprm-academy/articles.md) - Previous: [Supplier Due Diligence: Key steps to secure your partnerships](https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/resources/tprm-academy/articles/supplier-due-diligence-key-steps-to-secure-your-partnerships.md) - Next: [Preventing European Market Fragmentation to Strengthen Collective Cyber Resilience - Cristian Michael Tracci, ECSO](https://www.boardofcyber.io/en/resources/tprm-academy/articles/eviter-la-fragmentation-du-marche-europeen-pour-renforcer-la-resilience-cyber-collective-cristian-michael-tracci-ecso.md)