Archive for the ‘resources’ Category

The exorbitant cost of cyber attacks

July 2, 2011 - 8:08 am Comments Off

The numbers are staggering. In Germany, the financial damage caused by cyber crime amounted to 61.5 million euros in 2010, according to figures released Thursday by the criminal police and the Federation of high tech Bitkom. This is equivalent to an increase of 66% over the previous year. As the United States, the FBI estimated the cost of crime to some digital $ 560 million in 2009. A world-wide, according to McAfee, cyber crime would have generated some 1000 billion in 2008, about 1.64% of world GDP for that year. Remains that, without minimizing the scale of the scourge, these figures are perplexing.

Many experts give little credence to these studies because most of them emanate from computer security specialists. For the record, other than McAfee is the world number two antivirus software.In addition, "less than 10% of companies report having experienced cyber attacks," said Jean-Paul Pinte, senior lecturer in strategic intelligence at the Catholic University of Lille. According to the specialist risk management and cyber terrorists of enterprises affected societies fear the bad publicity due to media coverage of cyber attacks.

Jean-Paul Pinte, "we know nothing of the legacy and financial losses suffered indirectly." He added: "If an attack is to relieve a company of sensitive information, loss of data will generate multiple costs, such as loss of competitiveness, or the upgrading of security."

"Hard to get a comprehensive view"

Director of the National Security Information Systems (Anssi), Patrick Pailloux abounds in this direction."When a site is the victim of an attack, he takes as an example, it is first blocked, causing a shortfall. Then we must add additional costs to set up a hotline strengthened. "And on the practices of industrial espionage initiated via the Internet," How can we measure in terms of losses that a competitor could steal ?, "asks the director of Anssi. Clearly, "it is difficult to get a comprehensive view of the problem," says he.

Despite these criticisms, these figures are held up to each event on Cybercrime. However dated, the estimated one trillion dollars of McAfee is authoritative. Last May, it appeared even in the "reminder" of the fourth Parliamentary Forum on Information Society in Geneva, on the initiative, among others, the United Nations.Trompe-l'oeil, the text quoted a source stamped Europol, the pharmacy police intergovernmental European Union, which actually refers to the numbers … the software publisher.

If governments do not hesitate to chopping these impressive figures, it is often necessary to legitimize, but costly reinforcement of their agencies against digital piracy. Or clear, make the pill easier to swallow from taxpayers. In January, the UK has estimated that cyber attacks cost him a whopping 27 billion pounds per year (32.2 billion euros) in a government study.An amount (by far) greater than the harm claimed by the United States … A few days before making public figure, London has announced the release of 650 million pounds over four years to "strengthen its cyber security "…

International cooperation in the war-horse

Without waving the national figures, France is no exception, as evidenced by the announcement of piracy Bercy in March. Patrick Pailloux it was for the state to "lead by example" to encourage companies to report piracy they wipe. The Director of Anssi said that 150 computers were then infiltrated by hackers to steal documents for the French presidency of the G20. "We were able to counter the threat," he goes on, noting that thirty experts have been mobilized for two months to "clean up" more than 130,000 positions in the Department.A communication that is timely, since Anssi plans to double its workforce (360 employees) by 2013.

Such methods may be distasteful, but experts and politicians agree: there is no time to waste on the face of digital crime. "For a long time in France, we thought that hacking and computer intrusions were not really dangerous, says Jean-Paul Pinte. But now we know that it's become a real business, and that the threat can come from anywhere: a simple USB key, hard drives or even photocopiers, which, connected to the Internet can become the target of hackers ".

Therefore, international cooperation, which requires significant resources, is "a priority," insists Patrick Pailloux. And for good reason: "90% of attacks are international," says the director of Anssi.In the columns of The Tribune, Laurent Wauquiez, Minister for European Affairs, recently recalled that a hacker "can be installed in Latvia, while in France to intervene through a Canadian site." He even considers urgent that Europe adopts "a kind of cyber-FBI-backed Europol" to stem the digital crime. And one last statistic to shoot, ensuring that "a user of thirty lost money in Europe over the last year" due to a hacker.

Businesses, prey selection

Having surveyed 45 U.S. companies in 2010, the Ponemon Institute found that on average, the financial damage caused by hackers and data theft was $ 3.8 million.Like that of McAfee, this figure is to be taken lightly, as though Ponemon shows his independence, his study was commissioned by ArcSight, a specialist in digital security. However, it appears that large groups are increasingly being targeted by hackers. Since the beginning of the year, the list of companies or institutions that have suffered cyberattacks has continued to grow. Sony has suffered more than ten attacks since mid-April, leading to theft of confidential data of more than 1 million customer accounts. Recently, Sega has had the same misfortune: the editor of the series of Sonic hedgehog found in mid-June have been stolen names, email addresses, birth dates and passwords of almost 1.3 million customers on its servers.Google or Citigroup also suffered cyber attacks.

ALSO READ:

"The New Face of Cybercrime

"Europe declares war on cybercrime

"When Internet users are fighting against cybercrime

"A French arrested for hacking Twitter

"Exchange: cyber attacks concern to governments

Aid to Greece: the private sector put to

June 20, 2011 - 10:00 am Comments Off

The finance ministers of the euro area are mobilizing to prevent a collapse of Greece. The central bankers in the eurozone have defined the conditions of payment of a further tranche of loans in July, this aid is part of the first plan in support of Greece to 110 billion euros in loans over three years promised last year by the Europeans and the IMF, but the payment was a time been questioned. But the finance ministers of the euro area indicate that the release of the loan must be accompanied by the vote of a new plan of austerity and privatization by the Greek Parliament. "To make the decision (on the disbursement of loans) in early July, we will need to have the decision of the Greek Parliament" in terms of austerity and privatization, said the Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders.And Athens has no choice because without this loan the country, faced with deadlines refinancing risk bankruptcy next month.

In the longer term, the ministers also laid the groundwork for a new plan. In fact, new support is essential to Greece to avoid bankruptcy in the longer term, the foreground is revealing enough. And this time, the private sector should be involved. Banks and other private creditors and participate in this new plan free instant credit score. However the contours of that plan remains to be defined.

"The ministers agreed that the additional funding required will be financed both by official and private sources" indicate the ministers in their statement.They "welcomed the goal of voluntary involvement of the private sector in the form of roll-overs informal and voluntary debt Greek existing mature," he added. The "debt roll-over" means, in financial jargon, the fact that creditors when loans mature, replace them with others of a similar amount. Ministers stress that this operation should be a contribution "substantial" in the Greek program "and avoid a default (of payment) selective" in the country.

Small flat, the "main parameters of a new funding strategy clear" should be defined "by early July," indicate the ministers.While they had initial aim "to discuss the participation of private creditors," stated Jean-Claude Juncker, adding "the question is" how far it can and must go. "

ALSO READ:

"Greece is planning a referendum on the rigor

Frames affected by the pension reform

June 16, 2011 - 6:16 pm Comments Off

As announced in Le Figaro, the agreement on supplementary pensions signed last spring is unfavorable to executives who have raised several children, so much so that the CFE-CGC, the union executive has decided to attack the text justice.

The agreement signed in March after lengthy negotiations in effect alters the rules of pension bonus if families "many." From 1 January next year, the increase will be only 10% whatever the number of children cared for by the frame from three. The rule still in force today is much more favorable since the pensions of executives can be increased by 8% to 24% depending on the number of children.

Cap

Adjusted parallel, the amount of increase is now capped at 1,000 euros per year. Emmanuel Grimaud consulting firm optimization retirement Maxims, asked on Europe 1 this morning, made the calculation of the shortfall.For an executive who has had four children and affects 2700 euros monthly pension, the bonus is 2000 euros per year today. With the new rules, it does affect more than 800 euro mark, that is to say 1200 euros less each year. If we relate this loss to the number of years spent in retirement, 25 years on average, the loss of purchasing power reached 27,000 euros says the expert.

Emmanuel Grimaud said that once, future retired executives must make it their calculations, especially if born before July 1951.In some cases it may be more interesting for them to liquidate their retirement before the end of the year rather than waiting for the entry into force of the new text, and this even if they have not paid all quarters necessary for the full rate.

ALSO READ:

"Supplementary pension: the agreement will be sued

"New rule in order for supplementary pensions

"Agirc-Arrco: employers promised an ambitious

"Occupational pensions: flexibility on reversions

"The supplementary pensions secured until late June

SERVICE

"Evaluate your retirement cplussur.com

Japan worries the IMF

June 10, 2011 - 7:04 am Comments Off

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has the alarm on the third world economy. Consequence of the earthquake on March 11, its economists expecting a decline of 0.7% of GDP for the whole of 2011. The Fund is particularly concerned for the country's debt, which will reach 219% of GDP at end 2011, and finds that the debt reduction must remain the priority of the government.

The latter, which has just passed a supplementary budget of 33 billion euros to finance the first necessities, wants to pass through Parliament a law authorizing it to issue bonds and launch a second budget by August.

But the Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, in power for a year, is increasingly challenged, including in his own camp. Opponents blocked the law and want to relinquish power as soon as possible. They propose to form a "grand coalition", a sort of unity government."Given the limited scope exists to reduce expenditure, fiscal consolidation should be based on a comprehensive tax reform, built around a progressive rise in consumption tax," the IMF analysis.

A solution that Naoto Kan has long dream. Set at 5% today, this fee could rise to 10% in 2015-2016, calculates the government. Yet it must be at least 15% for only "half way done," the IMF tranche.

Guéant to divide by two professional immigration

June 1, 2011 - 9:32 am Comments Off

It is the purpose and method to achieve this. Tuesday, meeting in camera the prefects of all departments, the Interior Minister, Claude Gueant, set the level to which must be reduced legal immigration in France. "We must collectively work towards halving the cards of employees," he said, adding that "the government's objective is to reduce over the coming year, the flow of legal immigration to 20,000 titles. The minister, in the wake, sent a circular to his prefects that Le Figaro was able to procure. Co-written with Xavier Bertrand, Minister of Labour, the paper on "immigration control work" provides a new interpretative framework for granting or denying a permit to reside outside its national territory under the status of worker.

"Given the impact on employment in one of the most severe economic crises in history," write the ministers must now focus on "a qualitative approach and selective." "Priority must be given to the employability of job seekers here today, whether French or foreign nationality residing legally in France, they take care to specify.

Vigilance

Follows a catalog of requirements for being awarded a work permit, draconian, especially if the applicant is not qualified. "These guidelines are intended in particular to protect migrants against all forms of exploitation," hasten to state ministers.

Thus, the systematic refusal to be the employer who will on behalf of an employee apply for work authorization when that employer will not show "the necessary guarantees to attract and accommodate" a foreign worker. Even negative outcome if the employer has failed once labor laws. The warden will also check the "real existence" of the corporate employer. It will be denied his requests for the least fault. Especially if it has not conducted a "search effective" in its "employment pool" before resorting to foreign labor news. "This research is mandatory," the ministers insist that invite prefects to be vigilant when a student asks to go abroad as professional status.Too many frauds have been identified for overqualified candidates relating to the job.

Tuesday, Claude Gueant assured before his prefects: "Our economy is not a vital need for labor migration in all areas." And he cited the example of the masons. He said "Last year, 730 foreign builders have entered the territory, yet he says, when employment center broadcasts 20 jobs from builders, there are 100 applicants who apply these in France. We can make the same argument for many other businesses, including sectors like IT. "Under these circumstances, the minister concluded" the common sense to give priority to job-seekers already present in France, whether French or foreign nationality.And justice recommends to ensure their working conditions and pay. "

ALSO READ:

"The circular sent to the prefects (pdf)

"Occupation: reduce immigration, false trail for experts

"SELECT YOUR FIGARO – The needs of the French economy in terms of legal immigration

Sun sells to Chantal Thomass Chantelle

May 27, 2011 - 9:12 am Comments Off

The chic below Chantal Thomass change hands. The Sun Brand Apparel Group, its owner since 1998, sells the brand premium to the group Chantelle. Works just be informed and that of Sun reported Monday a favorable opinion. Only remains to finalize the signing of the founder, Chantal Thomass, who holds 34% stake. It is currently negotiating an agreement to continue to oversee the creation and an option to sell its shares in the next few years. The transaction price is estimated at 6 million.

"It's been ten years that Sun is planning to separate from the brand but had always hitherto encountered opposition from Chantal Thomass, says Luc Genet, elected at Sun CFDT Our group realized that the Luxury was a world apart from ours and not as profitable as retail.They have not occupied the brand and let it sink. "Turnover Chantal Thomass would be increased from 14 million a decade ago to 8 million last year, with a loss of 2 , 1 million. According to the union, the shareholder of Sun for five years, the U.S. fund Sun Capital Partners, "undressing the bride to return the cash before selling the group."

With Chantelle, Chantal Thomass is a partner of choice Faxless payday loans. It is indeed one of the last French lingerie that has not resigned to suffer the inexorable decline of the sector. Employing 6,200 people for a turnover of 340 million euros, he went all-out on the distribution and brand while keeping both plants in France.Together with its claws Chantelle and Passionata, he developed the brand Darjeeling (126 shops in France) and acquired in 2006 Orcanta group Pinault (56 stores), which are already sold products Chantal Thomass.

Private name

The designer to the eternal dark fringe is about to write a new chapter in the eventful life of its brand. After having sold the Japanese group in 1985 World, she had been dismissed and deprived of her name. Then the company was liquidated in 1996. Chantal Thomass was then able to redeem his name and raise its claw with the Sun group, then in the hands of the U.S. Sara Lee. 42 employees will be included by Chantelle as part of the redemption. The elected Dim worried about the activity of other employees who worked in part for Chantal Thomass, one year after the restructuring, the group also Sun, the Playtex brand.

Disengage taxis, traffic should be slowed

May 25, 2011 - 4:56 pm Comments Off

Traffic may be disrupted on Wednesday in major cities and on highways. And the number of taxis in service in town and in stations and airports should be low. Three federations of the profession have in fact called on Wednesday for a national day of action, with operations in snails across the country.

In the Paris area, the rallies were to begin from 6 hours on the A1 at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Orly, on the A4 to Marne la Vallee and the ramp to the A15 Franconville before converging to the Field March to 10 hours.

In Toulouse, a procession of 180 taxi drivers from the west of the town and 170 from the south-east of the city went from 6:30 in the direction of downtown. Some parts of the device were paralyzed before 8 o'clock. Access to the airport were also disrupted no fax payday advance.According to the protesters, this mobilization is expected to last up to 11 hours.

Taxis want to attract the attention of government on the increased costs they incur. Their fuel bill became heavier "than 30% over one year" because of soaring raw materials. In this context, taxi drivers lament the lack of compensation for the refund of excise tax on petroleum products. VAT refund from the TIPP was abolished in 2008. They must also bear other expenses, caused by the new regulation that requires them to be equipped with a light signal in the colors more identifiable by users. Taxis also protesting against the competition of passenger cars with driver, they consider unfair.

ALSO READ:

"The low-cost taxi soon stopped

Succession at the IMF: Nominations opened on Monday

May 22, 2011 - 11:36 am Comments Off

The International Monetary Fund said on Friday it would open Monday until June 10 nominations for the position of CEO, and he stared for "objective" to appoint his number one "by 30 June."

The Institution of Washington said that its board of directors, meeting in the day, had agreed "a period of applications which starts May 23, 2011 and will close June 10, 2011. "The objective of the board of directors select the director general consensus with the aim of completing the selection process by June 30, 2011," said Fund. Another objective is that this election "takes place in an open, merit-based and transparent," he added. IMF looks for a successor to French Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who resigned Thursday and is being prosecuted for sex crimes in New York.The Fund's detailed plan to follow the procedure that its board of directors composed of representatives from 24 countries and country groups.

Applications must be submitted either by such representatives or by the IMF governors (the finance minister or the head of the central bank in different countries). If there are three or less, they will be revealed at the close on June 10 If there are more than three, they will be kept confidential to determine time preference "by consensus", except by a vote, a shortlist of three candidates in the best position. The two or three candidates who remain will be heard by the Board in Washington. This body will then seek a "consensus" to determine the new head of the institution, "although the board may select the Director General by a majority of votes."

The Paris Bourse ends in green

May 19, 2011 - 5:16 am Comments Off

The Paris Bourse has hoisted the green flag on Wednesday, spurred by bargain hunting and foresight of a debt rescheduling Greek. At the close, the CAC 40 advances 0.92% at 3978 points. On Tuesday, the Paris stock exchange had closed sharply down by 1.21%. Only on the last four sessions, the Cac 40 lost nearly 3%.

Other major European stock markets followed the same trend: the Footsie-100 from the London Stock Exchange gained 1.07% to 5923.49 points and the DAX 30 Frankfurt Stock Exchange rose 0.65% to 7303.53 points .

Europe envisages a 'soft' restructuring of Greece

The option of a debt rescheduling Greek owned gaining ground in Europe. If Greece is making efforts, "we will see if it is possible to have a smooth restructuring of the Greek debt, said Tuesday the leader of the finance ministers of the eurozone, Jean-Claude Juncker.For Jurgen Stark, a member of the Board of Directors of the European Central Bank, a Greek debt restructuring would be a "recipe for disaster." Greece should "accelerate structural reforms" in particular to reduce the public sector, said his side on Wednesday the head of the IMF mission in Greece, Poul Thomsen.

In an interview with figaro.fr last September, the director of the Institute of High Finance, Philippe Dessertine, had said that if Greek debt rescheduling, "banks could again face a liquidity crisis . Therefore, they could no longer fund the financial markets.New tensions are therefore likely to appear on bank stocks. "

For now, investors seeking to reassure banks and bounce: Natixis gaining 0.93% to 3.80 euros, BNP Paribas takes 1.08% to 53.40 euros and Societe Generale advance of 0.41% to 41.92 euros.

On the macroeconomic front, the number of start-ups in April fell 18.3% to 42,984 compared to March, according to figures from INSEE.

United States, markets await the release of Fed minutes to 20 hours.

Oil bounces

On the foreign exchange market, the euro has stabilized at 1.4256 dollars at the close of trading in Europe, against 1.4234 dollars late Tuesday.

For their part, oil prices rose. On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of light sweet crude for June delivery traded at 98.05 dollars, up $ 1.14 compared to the previous day.U.S. inventories of crude oil fell against all odds last week, said Wednesday the U.S. Agency for Energy Information (EIA). Crude inventories were down 15,000 barrels to 370.31 million. Economists on average had expected an increase of one million barrels. Gasoline inventories rose much less than expected, rising by 119,000 barrels to 205.94 million, against an estimate of an increase of 800,000.Total is 1.05% to 40.76 euros.

Telecoms weakened by the crisis of sovereign debt

Thales: +0.36% to 29.34 euros

On the occasion of the general meeting of the group, Lee CEO of Thales, Luc Vigneron, showed caution Wednesday to its shareholders as to the outcome of the discussions of asset exchanges in the defense with Saffron, who recently taken over a year after being interrupted for lack of agreement on their terms.

France Telecom: + 0.64% to 15.63 euros

France Telecom expects further consolidation operations or cooperation in selected markets in telecoms, driven by growing investment needs, "said Director of the French group's mobile activities.

In addition, Moody's has estimated that Telecom are very sensitive to macroeconomic conditions and notes some operators in European countries hit by the debt crisis (Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland) could be affected. Bouygues advance of 0.37% to 32.56 euros, Vivendi (SFR) is gaining 0.44% to 19.19 euros and Iliad (Free) is 1.54% to 86.97 euros

Unibail-Rodamco: 1.92% to 151.05 euros, the biggest increase CAC 40

Unibail-Rodamco has announced that the Chamber of Commerce of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had ruled on the purchase price of 660,562 Rodamco Europe NV shares still held by minority shareholders. It has priced shares in Rodamco Europe 87.66 euros per share.Unibail-Rodamco will own 100% of Rodamco Europe following the decision.

Areva: + 3.27% to 30.16 euros

Areva and the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) announced the successful takeover offer simplified investment certificates (IC) cons of Areva shares. This will help convert the entire ordinary share capital. The listing of CI will be suspended from May 24

Peugeot: -0.22% to 29.75 euros

PSA Peugeot-Citroen on Wednesday the foundation stone laying of its third factory in China, according to La Tribune. Like the other two located in Wuhan, central China, the new plant should be able to start in 2013.Initially the plant will produce 150,000 vehicles and 300,000 from 2015.

Technip: 1.28% to 70.30 euros

Technip won a contract from BASF under the Partnership and engineering services for projects of chemistry and petrochemistry.

Atari: + 5.63% to 3 euros

Atari has announced its decision to sell Cryptic Studios, the development studio acquired videogames there is barely two and half years.

The Tanner: + 23.61% to 6.44 euros

Qatar Luxury Group has repurchased nearly 53% of the leather goods Tanner to 6.51 euros per share and will file a tender offer to purchase the rest at the same price in the days to come, said Tuesday the two entities.

After market, Soitec was to publish its annual results.

The euro fell 1.49 to nearly $ 1.41 a week

May 12, 2011 - 6:00 pm Comments Off

The euro has dropped by nearly 5% in a week. Such depreciation on the foreign exchange market in such a short time is rare. If some investors have been illuminated reap gains from the sacred, others had to lose a lot!

The euro rose against the dollar over from 1.49 to 1.42 in one week. (Chart from the trading platform of Saxo Bank)