S3NS, a company co-founded by Thales and Google in June 2022 announced that the National Agency for Security of Information Systems (Anssi) has accepted the introduction of its “trusted cloud” offer in SecNumCloud Qualification Process. More precisely, the joint venture received the so-called stage ‘J0’ and aims to finalize qualification in the summer of 2025.
This will allow S3NS to demonstrate a high level of requirements regarding digital security and the protection of sensitive data of companies and public administrations. The security visa includes provisions to prevent the processing of this data from being subject to extraterritorial laws, particularly American, and to foreign predatory attempts.
First step
This stage is only the first step towards SecNumCloud qualification for the ‘trusted cloud’ offer. Goes through a request form on the Anssi website to validate the application. The audit team will then need to create an assessment strategy (milestone 1) before the assessment is carried out (milestone 2). The report must finally be validated by Anssi during an official meeting, which will lead to the granting of a qualification authorizing the supplier to show the security visa.
The joint venture now available from February 2023 a transitional solution entitled “Local Controls with S3NS” which relies on the French region of Google Cloud and adds access control via encryption keys in the data centers of Thales. However, this offer does not qualify SecNumCloud. S3NS also confirmed that from December 2024, the first customers said “early adopters”, could deploy existing applications in the cloud, build applications natively, leverage large volumes of data, and deploy artificial use cases. S3NS specifies that around thirty clients are already concerned, such as the AGPM group, Club Med, Matmut or Thales.
Stand out from the blue
By passing this first major milestone, S3NS intends to overtake Bleu, launched in May 2021 by an orange and Capgemini to offer Microsoft solutions within a “trusted cloud”. Last month, announced its CEO Jean Coumaros have yet to submit a dossier to Anssi, aiming for qualification early in the second half of 2025.
It remains to be seen if the file sent by S3NS, like Bleu’s, will find a place in the French market. Last year, the competition authority had issued a “vigilance notice” of these joint ventures, due to the strength of Google and Microsoft in the cloud infrastructure market.