- The DGSI (Directorate General for Internal Security) launched last November a vast recruitment campaign. In particular, it is looking for 300 people specialized in the cyber field.
- During the FIC (International Cybersecurity Forum), which opens its doors this Tuesday in Lille, agents will be present on the stand of the Ministry of the Interior to answer questions from potential candidates.
- On this occasion, the number three of this intelligence service, Patrick Guyonneau, answered questions from 20 Minutes .
It is a great first for this discreet intelligence service, especially known for its missions in the fight against terrorism. DGSI agents will be present at the FIC (International Cybersecurity Forum), fair organized from this Tuesday in Lille. On the stand of the Ministry of the Interior, they will present their missions and answer questions from candidates who would like to join them.
While the cyber threat is very high, the DGSI is looking for technicians but also analysts to swell its ranks. On this occasion, its technical director, Patrick Guyonneau, answered questions from 20 Minutes .
The DGSI will be present at the FIC for the first time ... For what reason?
In fact, the DGSI has always been present at the FIC. Either to seek suppliers, or as part of its mission to protect the interests of the State, because there are many French companies working in the field of cyber defense and cyber protection at the show.
However, it is the first time that the management will be present on the stand of the Ministry of the Interior, whose services are very present in the cyber field. As part of the recruitment campaign launched a few months ago, this year we will be able to talk about our missions for the first time.
Precisely, what are they in the cyber domain?
The DGSI acts in two directions within the framework of its mission of prevention of attacks on the fundamental interests of the nation. The first is a cyber defense mission. The DGSI deals with the most complex attacks, those which are often carried out by foreign states or by "digital mercenaries". Our job is to characterize these attacks.
In addition, the DGSI has a judicial mission. She is competent to work on cyber attacks targeting the most sensitive institutions, businesses, operators of vital importance, operators of essential services…
Other services, such as the DGSE, are also working on the cyber threat. What is the place of the DGSI?
The DGSI is one of the members of C4, the cyber crisis coordination center, created after the 2018 cyber defense strategic review [a document adopted by the government aiming to distribute roles between the various state services in matters of cyber]. We mobilize our skills and our large network on the national territory, in perfect coordination with the DGSE, with which our exchanges are daily and whose sensors are essentially turned towards the outside of the territory. Together, we are helping to describe and prevent the level of global threat to our country.
The cyber defense command protects specific networks of armies. Anssi, on the other hand, is not an intelligence service. It is the agency responsible for cybersecurity public policy. It has a central role in raising the level of cybersecurity in our country and conducting detection, prevention and protection actions, to which the DGSI contributes by mobilizing its network and the specific means which are those of an intelligence service.
What is the state of the cyber threat?
Overall, the level of cyber threat is very high. These include ransomware attacks. Before, it was a massive phenomenon, which could affect everyone. But the ransoms paid were quite low. Their authors sought more solvent targets and have since focused on larger players. They are now attacking large companies, hospitals ... It is a very strong threat. Then there are the spy attacks that stay at a very high level.
What types of profiles are you looking for at the DGSI to carry out these missions?
The DGSI is looking for either young professionals, who have two or three years of experience, or students or engineers in the last year of school. Indeed, to enter the DGSI, you must be accredited secret-defense, a process that necessarily takes a little time. The more the recruitment is anticipated by contacts with the DGSI, the faster it can be done.
And what kind of positions do you offer them?
We are going to recruit 300 people to deal with cyber issues in four years. Three-year fixed-term contracts which can be transformed into permanent contracts thereafter. These are technical professions (engineers, technicians, etc.) but also more general analysts. It should be noted that it is possible to make a career with us: we can start by doing digital investigation, then do analysis in the cyber field and then go to counterintelligence.
You are in competition, to recruit, with private companies. How can you convince young professionals to join you?
The salaries offered at the entrance to the DGSI are comparable to those offered by the private sector! And then, entering the DGSI is the guarantee of working on very operational, topical subjects. We carry out actions in the judicial field aimed at preventing attacks, there is a very concrete aspect. We are in action. And our work makes a lot of sense.
How do you apply for the DGSI?
We have a LinkedIn page on which we regularly post announcements. We also have an email address on which it is possible to send us a spontaneous application [recruitment-dgsi@interieur.gouv.fr]. And it is therefore also possible to meet us during the FIC. Interested people can ask questions to DGSI agents present on the stand. They will explain how their integration went, talk about their daily life, what we find in our country, the interest of working for a large intelligence service, etc.
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