France has implemented a plan to protect its sensitive data. This plan is centred on the DCSSI [Central Directorate for the Security of Information Systems], which is housed within the SGDN [General Secretariat for National Defence] that, in turn, comes under Matignon. It is the COSSI [Operational Centre for the Security of Information Systems] that maintains constant surveillance within this directorate. COSSI is in contact with ministerial operations centres and with the major operators (as well as its international counterparts). It manages the reaction to attacks on computer systems and coordinates the technical responses. The DCSSI takes part in identifying and monitoring the risks: network intrusions, malicious interception of communications, the spread of computer viruses, data manipulation. It also makes regular audits of the ministries' security systems. It is this same SGDN that recently warned against the use of Blackberry telephones in government departments o! r ministries.
At the Ministry of the Interior, the DST [Territorial Surveillance Directorate] has a computer department that is responsible for carrying out judicial investigations when the attacks are aimed at the nation's security or fields on the leading edge of French industry. The DST has no qualms about using the same methods as hackers. A report prepared by Pierre Lasbordes (UMP [Union for a Popular Movement] deputy) at the end of 2005, which was given to the prime minister, pointed to the French system's weaknesses; marked by a ''large number of insufficiently coordinated players.'' He asked to have information system security raised to ''national priority'' level.