A simple QR code scanned on the fly unlocks a company's computer system. Immediately, the hacker enters the network and traps a computer with hidden software.
Their objective? To steal secret information, block service operations, or destroy customer data.
Facing them, the cybersecurity expert reacts immediately: they change passwords, close compromised access points, and protect machines to prevent the intruder from proceeding further.
Illustrated as a card game, this confrontation between a hacker and a cybersecurity expert was presented this Wednesday, 14 October, at Orange Village, the headquarters of Orange Côte d'Ivoire. It perfectly reflects the daily operations of Security Operations Centers (SOC).
Indeed, cybercrime continues to cause colossal damage to organizations, ranging from massive financial losses to the irreparable deterioration of their reputations.
To raise awareness among organizations regarding these digital risks, Orange Cloud & Cyber Solutions (OCCS) hosted a press conference this Wednesday at its headquarters. This meeting aimed to officially launch the October campaign dedicated to cybersecurity and announce the major Orange Cyber Connect event, scheduled for Thursday, 5 November, 2026.
Centered on the theme "Thinking like a hacker in the age of IA," Orange Cyber Connect will conclude a month of activities designed to equip businesses against new intelligent threats.
Integrated Strategy
During the discussions, Anzi Akpa, a cybersecurity expert at OCCS, reiterated the subsidiary's strategic vision. Leveraging the expertise of over 60 highly qualified employees, the company supports the digital transformation of economic stakeholders.
Indeed, OCCS structures its activities around 4 fundamental pillars: digital transformation, sovereignty, inclusion, and security.
Furthermore, the comprehensive offering from OCCS brings together 6 strategic areas of expertise to form a fully integrated value chain. These areas cover cloud, cybersecurity, big data and analytics, digital strategy consulting, enhanced connectivity, and unified communications.
Thus, the true power of the subsidiary lies in its ability to combine the strength of the Orange group with an intimate understanding of local realities.
Sovereign Strength
Mame Diop Ba, Director of Operations at OCCS, highlighted the company's unique value proposition in the Ivorian and regional market. She emphasized that the OCCS model is based on an inseparable triptych, known as the three C's: connectivity, cloud, and cybersecurity.
"We are the only ones in Côte d'Ivoire capable of providing comprehensive solutions, from telecom infrastructure to solutions in a secure environment under one roof," she affirmed.
She added: "Cybersecurity is not decreed; we have built it on the concrete experience of a major operator. Our Security Operations Center, deployed since 2019, relies on experts constantly confronted with the latest attack and defense techniques.
We do not just promise cybersecurity: we practice it every day internally and for our clients."
Awareness
Ferdinand Tra, President of OCCS and Director of Orange Business & Broadband, broadened the debate by emphasizing the alarming democratization of cyberattacks powered by artificial intelligence. Today, IA tools allow individuals lacking advanced technical skills to carry out destructive offensives.
He specifically cited the example of remote attacks perpetrated against critical infrastructure, such as the cold chain in supermarkets in France.
See also - France: An unprecedented cyberattack paralyzes the refrigeration of 300 supermarkets and causes heavy food losses.
"Cybersecurity is no longer a subject reserved for technicians; it concerns everyone. It affects our phones, our businesses, our finances, and our personal data," declared the President of OCCS.
For him, cybersecurity comprises 30% technology and 70% governance. It is precisely on this human and organizational aspect that the month of October focuses, an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of risks and adopt best practices.
"No company, however well-protected it may be, can face the threat alone. Cybersecurity is not an expense but a condition of trust.
Without trust, there is no sustainable digital transformation."
See you on 5 November
In any case, protecting digital assets requires immediate collective mobilization. Therefore, the information campaign will continue throughout the month of October with practical advice disseminated to the general public and professionals.
All stakeholders in the sector are then invited.
