Skip to main content
18th February 2025

Evergreens Insights: Bertrand Lathoud on how to avoid cyber attacks in everyday life

In this short extract from the “Evergreens by Spuerkeess” podcast, Bertrand Lathoud, COO and Senior Advisor at the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity, explains the importance of cybersecurity. He considers current threats and shares some practical advice on how to protect businesses. He also highlights the role played by artificial intelligence (AI) in the evolution of cybersecurity, and underlines the importance of staying informed and vigilant on an ever-changing digital landscape.

Can you explain what cybersecurity is and what it is not?

Cybersecurity is first and foremost the security of any infrastructure or system linked to the Inter-net. It involves prevention and protection, and then – if necessary – reacting to an incident. It is important to distinguish cybersecurity from fraud. Fraud involves security breaches, but it goes beyond security. This is a phenomenon whereby a criminal abuses a system or other people to steal assets – either money or information. For example, modern techniques such as deepfakes can be used in addition to older procedures, such as scams.

What are the most widespread cyberattacks at the moment?

A distinction can be made between attacks aimed at individual users and those aimed at businesses. For businesses, the “ransomware” attack is the most common type. Criminals deploy “malware” to encrypt all the company’s data and then they demand a ransom to restore it. This is a very common type of attack criminals can make a lot of money with relatively little effort.

How can companies protect themselves against these attacks?

It is crucial to limit the impact of attacks by implementing measures for systems architecture. For individuals, it is important to minimise exposure by being aware of what they put online and adopting simple but effective practices. For example, store financial data on an external hard drive and only connect it when you need to carry out financial transactions.

What can small and medium-sized businesses do to improve their cyber security?

SMEs can start by using the free, practical tools offered by organisations such as the National Cybersecurity Competence Centre. For example, our test platform can be used to scan the security of a website and detect potential problems. It's important to start simply and gradually improve security without having to invest heavily from the outset.

What role do public authorities play in cybersecurity?

Public authorities play a crucial role in providing tools and documentation that are accessible to all. For example, the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity offers technical tools and training to raise awareness and help companies improve their security. The aim is to create an ecosystem in which criminals find it difficult to commit fraud.

How do you see the future of cybersecurity with the emergence of artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence can be both an opportunity and a threat. It enables certain stages of the at-tack to be improved, but it also provides more effective defence tools. For example, AI can analyse large volumes of data generated by security tools and identify suspicious points, allowing human experts to focus on the most relevant incidents.

Sustainability