Archive for the ‘opinions’ Category

Fillon is launching a comprehensive plan "anti-deficit" for France

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

"A strict policy to allow France to remain sovereign in the economic and social development." François Fillon Thus he justifies the battery of measures, presented Wednesday to prevent any slippage in the deficit in late 2011 and 2012. In the context of extreme nervousness of the markets and growing concern about the European debts, the government has a goal of "intangible" reduce the public deficit of France 5.7% of GDP this year to 4.6% in 2012 (4.5%, in fact, said the Prime Minister to keep a "margin").

This will be increased by one major plan: one billion euros in savings and additional revenue this year and 11 billion next year. An effort necessitated by the weakening of activity.The government now expects GDP growth of 1.75% in 2011 as in 2012, against 2% and 2.25% previously announced.

"We are careful to take steps that do not break the growth – from mainly by reductions in or cancellations of special tax treatment ineffective," argued Fillon. While expressing focused on building "social justice", promising to seek "more large companies and SMEs and more affluent households than modest."On closer inspection, it is the holders of wealth that will be most put to the range of measures, including tax on incomes above 500,000 euros, higher taxes on savings and real estate gains, movement of the plane 10% tax loopholes, increasing tobacco prices, lower exemptions from payroll taxes on overtime …

François Fillon has compiled a list of these decisions at a press conference at Matignon, before working at JT TF1. It was really his day! A day that Nicolas Sarkozy has sought not to ruin, leaving his Prime Minister to take the show on the subject that is dear to him: the public finances.Wednesday morning at the Elysee, where stood the Council of Ministers of return, Sarkozy has revealed no information about the extent and content of the savings plan, helping to leave the premiere of his first ads Minister, and thanked them for staying mobilized during the summer and especially during the height of the bear market paydayloan.

But however long the president returned to the causes of the crisis, which he presented to the government team as the result of displacement of the center of gravity of the economies of developed countries to emerging countries. "It is not a crisis of the euro, he said. It is a debt crisis. "A crisis that requires extra effort. At eight months of the presidential election, Sarkozy seems unwilling to let the idea settle the plan "anti-deficit" would actually be an austerity plan that does not say his name."We're not in an austerity policy. Rigor is when you drop the pensions of retirees, which reduces the salaries of civil servants and that we proceed with a general increase in taxes, "he argued. "It's not rigor. Make no mistake! ", He added to the government.

Some participants saw this as a caution vis-à-vis those on the right, let themselves go these days to use the word taboo. In the first line, the secretary general of the UMP, Jean-Francois Cope, who, in Les Echos on Tuesday, had assumed this term without qualms. "Do not waste time with words," had also added the deputy mayor of Meaux.

Nicolas Sarkozy, who used to repeat that "it is useless to kill the sick healed," remains sealed to the word "rigor".He wants, in the words of a minister, "provide for the future, find the ridge that would allow France to reduce its deficits without blocking the growth." He also wants to convince public opinion that France must include in its Constitution the "golden rule" to return to balance public accounts. "This rule is neither right nor left," François Fillon reiterated Wednesday.

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Wall Street should remain on guard

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

The session promises to be volatile on Wall Street on Wednesday, a day after closing in the red. In just over two hours of opening, the futures contract on the Dow is at equilibrium (0.02% at 11,389 points), as did the S & P 500 (0.03% to 1192 points). One on the Nasdaq was down 0.20% to 2195 points.

The markets seem to be torn between the desire to focus on quarterly results released last night or expected, and the wrong signals sent by the European and Asian markets. They are disappointed with the proposals of President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The two leaders, who gathered to discuss the governance of the euro area, have not provided a response to the concerns of investors about the debt crisis in the euro area.Of course, a battery of measures was announced: economic government of the euro area, "golden rule" budget, tax on financial transactions, fiscal convergence. But Germany and France have ruled out a strengthening of the European emergency fund (EFSF) and the creation of Eurobonds, measures eagerly awaited by the markets.

"The concerns of investors are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon and could increase the pressure against the European leaders' strategists warn of Crédit Agricole CIB. "We are concerned that investors not only in the short term this framework must also be approved by all other countries and which offers no short-term response to the problems that worry the markets," added the manager of Barclays scholarship.

Oil up

In this context, operators will try to focus on indicators of the day.Before the opening, the Labor Department will release the index of producer prices. Weekly oil inventories will follow. Investors expect a decline in reserves, which pushed the futures contract on a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in September rose 1.19% to 87.68 dollars.

Note the side of the currency, the attempt to rebound in the euro against the dollar. After being battered in the Asian trade, the single European currency recovers. Around 11:30 in Paris, the euro bought 1.4450 dollars against 1.4406 dollars late Tuesday.

The values ​​of the day

News companies are also responsible for:

The Dell IT group has published Tuesday profit up 63% in the second quarter to $ 890 million, or earnings per share of 54 cents higher than expected. But the group has revised its annual sales targets downward.

Analog Devices reported last night for its third fiscal quarter, net earnings rose to 219.9 million dollars. But the group has disappointed analysts by saying that he expected an exaggerated caution of customers in a context of growing global economic uncertainty.

Abercrombie must report before the market opens its second quarter results. Ls forecasts indicate a profit of 29 cents per share and a turnover of 916.8 million dollars.

Deere also has pre-market release the results of its third fiscal quarter. The benefit should be 1.66% per share, according to economists.

Staples will announce its second quarter results, as Hot Topic, Limited Brands and Petsmart.

The banking sector battered yesterday after the European project for the taxation of financial transactions, will also be monitored.

Difficult to recover the "AAA" when it was lost

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

S & P is the second rating agency to downgrade the American note, after the Chinese – less powerful – Dagong, others – mainly the U.S. Moody's and Fitch French – for the time remaining in triple A. Now rated AA + long term debt of the United States remains in the investment category of "high quality" and joined the second and third world economies, namely China and Japan, as well as Belgium, Spain , Israel, Taiwan, or even oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

But it is possible to recover the triple A when it was lost. Canada, Australia, Denmark, and Sweden Finande did. Of course, the United States will do everything to return to their "AAA" precious. But the task will be tough, as it will maintain over the long term, strong pressure on fiscal discipline while scaffolding better understanding at the political level.

Political consensus to find absolutely

Indeed, in the case of their Canadian neighbors, the return of Triple A in 2002, had been lost – again by S & P – in 1992 on its debt denominated in foreign currency, was possible thanks to the introduction of fiscal measures severe that the subject of a strong national consensus, which seems far from possible for the United States.

Similarly, three Scandinavian countries also known for their ability to consensus politics have seen their efforts to improve public finances crowned by the return of a "triple A" lost year 1990: Denmark 2001, Finland in 2002 and Sweden in 2004.

Australia is one model may be more difficult to imitate. This country has lost in the 1986 'AAA' rating assigned to its foreign currency by S & P, to find him in 2003.During these 17 years, Canberra has demonstrated fiscal discipline inflexible, stopping in 1997 to increase the amount of its debt in dollars. Growth has surged with the transformation of the economy, modernization of the financial system, deregulation of many sectors that had lost their competitiveness and development of a powerful mining industry has benefited from China's economic takeoff.

Economy to restart

Jean-Michel Six, chief economist for Europe Standard & Poor's has expressed in the columns of Le Figaro, six months ago that the economic figures released in the United States show that the country remains fragile, particularly at the front of the employment and real estate. "In the U.S., including employment prospects are very disappointing."While yesterday (Friday), the figures – the United States have created 117,000 jobs in July – have eliminated any disaster scenario on the U.S. labor market, performance is modest. As for household consumption, "it is significantly weakened by the debt levels of Americans," added the specialist. Overall, "the year 2011 should result in a 2% growth, which is very disappointing for the U.S., where the pace of activity is generally much higher than in Europe."

According to the latest figures on U.S. growth, GDP grew by only 1.3% annual rate. Economists expected a 1.8% increase. Worse, the growth of the first three months of the year, previously estimated at 1.9%, was revised sharply downwards to 0.4%. And the largest economy in the world did she not really recovered from the 2008 crisis.Fears of a slowdown in U.S. growth, and global markets have panicked the last ten days.

Fiscal side, the U.S. accumulated a debt exceeding GDP are: since August, the debt ratio exceeds 100%, as is the case in Japan or Greece.

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Debt: U.S. lawmakers have reached agreement

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

The world can breathe a little. After long weeks of negotiations, Republicans and Democrats have finally reached an agreement to raise the ceiling of U.S. debt, according to U.S. television, ABC News, citing unnamed sources in Congress. The debt ceiling would be raised until the elections of 2012. The plan includes spending cuts of over 1 trillion dollars over ten years and the establishment of a new panel of members of Cingrès, which will provide recommendations on additional measures to reduce the deficit of more than 1000 billion dollars.

As stated on ABC's website, this agreement is only "temporary" and must still be approved by Congress. If the information was confirmed by Washington, would mean that the U.S. can continue to borrow on financial markets.Good news for Barack Obama in less than a year of presidential elections. After a long back against the long struggle between Republicans and Democrats, the White House had decided Saturday to get involved again in the negotiations. Return ardently desired by the Republicans who seems to have paid off.

As a result, optimism had returned to the side of Parliament. The head of the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, Harry Reid, who previously showed pessimistic, recognized the progress in negotiations with the White House. "Negotiations are taking place in the White House to avoid a catastrophic failure to pay the national debt," Reid said late Saturday.Same story on the Republican side: "I think we have a chance to do," said Mitch McConnell Saturday, head of the Republican in the Senate.

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Veolia will not achieve its annual targets

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Veolia Environnement title should suffer this morning at the opening of the Paris Bourse. In full-season publications, investors thought instead to have their eyes on the accounts of the CAC 40 large, but the specialist environmental services announced this morning in a statement it would not hold its 2011 goal of growth in net profit, due to provisions and write-downs that he will in its half year (ended June 30, 2011) to about 800 million euros.An unexpected result of avertisssement should not help support the Paris Stock Exchange, expected back in the red this morning.

Engaged in a process of "refocusing its operations," Veolia has in fact has indeed increased the sales and partnerships since the beginning of the year, more than 1 billion euros of capital gains generated over 400 million under discontinued operations. However, the group of Antoine Frérot wants to go further, and believes that in Southern Europe, North Africa and the United States "based on the latest developments in operations", Veolia Environnement decided to launch new restructuring actions, redeployment and adjustment of activities in scope.

Confirmation of organic growth target

Hence the revised forecast recorded in the accounts payday advance lenders.Beyond the revision of the forecasts on net income, management expects an adjusted operating income excluding Veolia / Transdev (transport sector) "slightly lower at constant exchange rates" over one year against a growth of 4 to 8% previously announced. The only consolation, however, should not that bring smiles to the market, "the goals of organic growth, cost reduction of 250 million euros on sales of 1.3 billion euros and free cash flow positive after dividend payments are confirmed, "says Veolia.

No details yet on the new estimated net income, but Veolia, which will detail its half-year Thursday, August 4, should be a strong values ​​followed this Friday and next week. "Veolia Environnement August 4 detail the steps to refocus and improve profitability decided" also stipulates the release.Note that these results for the first six months of the year should also reflect the impact of lower volumes of waste treated during the crisis.

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Sponsors: "Lacourt can thank Manaudou"

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Lefigaro.fr – Since his triple gold medal at the European Championships in Budapest in 2010, Camille Lacourt has increased its advertising contracts. How does the commercial success he started?

Jean-François-Salessy After his success in Budapest in August 2010, Camille has indeed come to me with Fabien Gilot Ménart and William, all three members of the Swimming Club of Marseilles, so we work together. In less than 24 hours in September 2010, and even if I was going to take a year off, it was decided. Camille's situation was a bit special because it suddenly goes from darkness to light, and was approached by many brands, especially in the beauty and cosmetics.We are closer to Clarins and their way of approaching things convinced us to work with them, rather than with other brands, less respectful of the requirements for driving a top athlete. The first six-year contract (to 200,000 euros per year, ie), indexed on the results of Camille and with a conversion clause, was based on what competitors offered. It was a beautiful first contract. We have also partnered with the OEM Tyre, which is unusual since Camille involved in the development and technical improvement of products it uses. He is also interested in the sale of these products, between 10 and 15% of sales according to the ranges.

French swimmers are they becoming future footballers?

I do not believe, and I do not want to turn into Camille Lacourt Christmas tree.We will announce in September a new partnership with a ready-to-wear, but it should be the last. He is now fine partnerships should not be wasted by "selling" in all directions. When talking about total earnings of Camille Lacourt (estimated this year to 700,000 euros ed), we forget that it is barely a month's salary football star. On the other hand, it is undeniable that the French swimming much more interested in brands and sponsors that there are six or seven years. I think Camille can say thank you to Laure Manaudou, who opened a gap, taking the very strong public support. It is no secret: it has made this popular sport, which attracted the public, media and sponsors. Today these brands look like a real sport discipline of competition, with major events and boys and girls out of the ordinary …who is a potential advertising. In a few months, these boys and girls who emerge may tell themselves, thank you to Camille Lacourt!

Jeremy just Stravius, who also athletic Tuesday, he may steal the show with brands?

It is a bit simplistic to look at it that way. Each swimmer to his personality. Camille Lacourt someone is authentic, casual and simple, has a rather glamorous image. This is not a scoop. But by winning yesterday with Jeremy Stravius ​​his world title in 100 meter backstroke, he also confirmed that he had not physically beautiful, he had another dimension. Which was very important to us because being European champion was not enough.If that fails, many would have indeed been delighted to say that he had lost in the advertising contracts and partnerships! The next objective is to confirm the sporting dimension to the London Olympics in 2012 (which would also provide the swimmer performance related bonuses as part of its contracts with Clarins and Tyre, ed.) For his part, Jeremy Stravius ​​has the best performance of his career. I am not his agent but I think its position corresponds to a different segment than Camille. His image more reassuring, more associated with strength, may be of interest to companies in the energy sector, banking or insurance. Like Alain Bernard for example, and partnerships with EDF Assurances or April.

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Greece threatens to set aside at Air France

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

Much bagaille should be avoided. While seven union stewards and hostesses of Air France had filed a strike notice for the next weekend (July 29 to August 1), the airline has come this Saturday morning to sign the minutes of end of conflict with union representatives. What not to many flight cancellations in the great cross-driven summer from July to August, and escape the nightmare scenario met in mid-July by the customers of Air Algeria. The Algerian company was also affected by a strike of its crews, resulting in the virtual paralysis of European flights to the country.

Whereas yesterday, the agreement has been finally found Saturday afternoon between the airline and the Inter (CGT, CFDT, CFTC, Unac, NPNC and UNSA), resulting in the lifting of the strike notice filed Monday.Only Southern Air has so far not given its approval. The seven organizations representing the commercial crews (PNC) called for the opening of negotiations on the organization of work, especially in the bases in the provinces, but also the medium-haul and long haul. This is now done, the group of Pierre-Henri Gourgeon has agreed to reopen discussions on the new rules of work (rest, compensation) provided to counter competition from low cost carriers.

Reopen negotiations next week

On this point, the flight attendants are opposed to such requirements in the new provincial bases (Marseille and Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux) and denounce the proposed removal of a sailing aboard the Airbus A319.They are supported in their claims by two minority unions of pilots (SPAF and Alter) who in turn refused to lift their notice for the next weekend. "The company has agreed to supply four A319 in the PNC until September 15," said Philippe Sport at UNSA. If it is impossible to have this number, the flight attendants should receive compensation (rest or premium). For its part, Air France said that the continuation of strike notice SPAF and Alter would have no significant impact on traffic. The reopening of negotiations with the flight crew should take place in the course of next week.

Still, the difficulties are not entirely discarded the French company, far from it. Management must also deal with Algeria-leAir SNPL resumption of talks, the union super majority in pilots.While the SNPL signed to 54% the proposed new work organization. But this time, the battle moves to the front of pensions. The powerful union remains opposed to the proposed reform of the pension fund additional pilots. Where a notice of strike filed this time from August 5 to 8, another busy weekend on the front of air traffic and going on holiday.

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Yahoo upgrades its search engine

Monday, July 18th, 2011

Google's competitors do not want to admit defeat. Facing the giant of online search, which controls 85% of the world, his followers rely on innovation and diversification of uses to snatch half points of market share.

In the summer of 2009, Yahoo and Microsoft and had forged an alliance in online search, the first confident marketing and PPC management to the second search engine. Six months after the agreement, Yahoo had enlisted the services of Shashi Seth, a deserter from Google and AOL, as vice president in charge of innovation search engine Yahoo.

"We launched more innovations and new products over the last 18 months than in the past five years, says Shashi Seth Le Figaro. We have succeeded in increasing the number of searches per session and attracted new users. "A success that Yahoo has replicated several major markets, including France, this fall.

Additional income

By giving Microsoft the technical management of its search engine, Yahoo has indeed been able to free up resources to improve its offer vis-à-vis the consumer. "Our strategy is based on three things: first, we build a search engine that provides answers, not just links, details Shashi Seth. Next, we broaden the horizon of research to not only find information for the user but also enable it to act on it, and finally, we focus on the mobile. "

In March, Yahoo has launched Instant Search in the U.S., which can provide results before they have finished typing the question (Direct Search).To be comprehensive, the motor adds to the Yahoo Web pages from the contents of its information categories (sports, finance, local information …). The group also launched an Internet search engine applications which sends its mobile application unearthed from his computer. Finally, Yahoo is working on customizing: eventually, the engine could explore Facebook and e-mail users, whose data are compiled in an index of private content to customize the search results. "Our role is to help users find information wherever it is. We seek to expand the sources of information in a neutral way, "says the boss of innovation Yahoo Search.

These innovations do not only attract users. They also result in additional income."We focus on user experience: if it is satisfied, he returns, will do more searches and clicks on ads more, analysis Shashi Seth. How to monetize that content also changes: before, they sold mostly text links, now it sells more advertising graphics (display) on the search engine. " A format that sells more expensive than sponsored links.

2011 a good year for the use of frames

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Click the preview to enlarge the graphic.

The Director General of the Association for the use of frameworks (APEC), Jacky Chatelain, a smile: "2011 will be a very good year for the recruitment of executives," said he. It will be even better than expected. Tuesday during the presentation of its traditional mid-point year, his organization has substantially revised its statistics on the rise, according to his calculations, 194,000 cadres would be hired this year, against 181,000 originally announced in February as part of the APEC business panel 2011.

These figures confirm the trends optimistic in recent months. The latest indicator Apec published in May, the number of jobs grew by 70% year on year, driven by services, led by computer functions and research and development.In addition, mobility management, reflecting a renewed confidence, has also increased from 5% in 2009 to 7% in 2010.

The reasons for this dynamism? A greater investment in the first half of 2011, from 1.9% earlier this year to 3.8%. "For three years, we have established a strong link between investment and employment," said Jacky Chatelain. On the basis of a model by connecting the executive search, investment and growth, APEC has also made a forecast of recruitment to five years.

New legislation

With an investment of 3% per year, it expects an increase in employment context, not only in the second half of 2011, but over the next four years."However, investment has not recovered its pre-2000 levels," notes the director general of APEC, citing "a problem of competitiveness of the French economy, a profitability that is struggling to recover , difficult access to credit and public investment that does not play a role. " In this context, recruitment is expected to slow over the years. According to the study of Apec, they increase by 18% in 2011 compared to 2010, then increase by 8% in 2012, 5% in 2013, 6% in 2014, and begin to decline by 1% in 2015 to be at 232,100 hires.

The year 2015 was "marked a plateau for hiring managers in a market that lacks strong enough levers," says Apec.According to Jacky Chatelain, public policy must "be sensitive to investment."

In developing this scenario, APEC has also included new legislation on retirement and senior employment, which, combined with good market conditions of employment context, would encourage more employees working from more later. Thus, the proportion of managers employed at the time of retirement may remain stable at 69% over the period.

Cyber ​​attacks: an exorbitant cost

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

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 " freecreditscore

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.

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