Cybersecurity—one of the most urgent and important issues of our era of rapidly advancing information technologies—was the focus of a recent workshop held in Yerevan, attended by representatives of the French Veolia Group. In addition to employees of Veolia Water, which is part of the Group’s system, the event was also attended by the management and IT specialists of the Armenian branch of the French company SADE.
“Cybersecurity”—the term alone seems to say it all. While most participants were generally informed about the issue, the presentation by Jean-Marc Serle, one of Veolia Group’s leading experts and the event’s main speaker, significantly expanded their understanding of the topic. The current situation was presented “in all its complexity.”
The battle in this field intensifies year after year. On one side, every effort is made to protect confidential data; on the other, there are persistent attempts to breach it—driven by various motives and using diverse technical tools. Who are the perpetrators of cyberattacks? They range from state agencies and business competitors to criminal elements and simply malicious or unstable individuals. While security technologies are evolving rapidly, so too are the programs designed to break them. It’s an ongoing struggle with shifting outcomes, which is why constant vigilance is essential.
In this context, Veolia Group, as one of the world’s leading companies in the environmental sector, is no exception. And it’s not just about financial interests. Veolia also develops cutting-edge technologies in water supply, wastewater treatment, electricity and thermal energy production, and waste recycling. All of this carries significant value and importance.
There is also another critical aspect—the social importance of the services provided by the company. Imagine if one of the sources supplying water to Yerevan were to go offline even for a few hours—an entire section of the city could be left without water. This scenario is not entirely hypothetical, as a cyberattack on the company’s digital control systems is theoretically possible. Especially now, as Veolia Water is rapidly transitioning to digital technologies. However, there is a “countermeasure” in place—namely, the SCADA remote control system based on digital technologies, which is increasingly being adopted in Armenia and ensures the stable water supply of the capital. And to keep that system running flawlessly, IT specialists must remain constantly alert.
