Le Monde Uses CrowdSec to Automate Protection of Internet-Facing Resources and Maximize Operational Efficiency

Le Monde, one of France’s most prestigious news organizations, utilizes CrowdSec to enhance the security of both its print and digital infrastructure. By leveraging CrowdSec’s crowd-powered threat intelligence, the group has automated key security processes, significantly improving efficiency and protecting its vast network against evolving cyber threats.

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Le Monde is a leader in news publishing, operating both in print and digital formats. With its infrastructure divided between these two entities, Le Monde supports a vast network of around 1,500 workstations. As one of France’s most prominent media organizations, its mission is to deliver timely and accurate news to millions of readers. However, the evolving threat landscape, including phishing, DDoS, and public network IP scans, presents significant security challenges. To stay ahead of these threats, Le Monde leverages CrowdSec to bolster its defenses, streamline its security operations, and ensure continuous protection of its infrastructure

The challenge

The Le Monde group is divided into two entities: one dedicated to print and the other to digital. The group manages a complex and diversified infrastructure with around 1,500 workstations, which requires a robust and well-organized IT security strategy to protect its assets. Traditionally, the group’s digital infrastructure faces greater security challenges than the print division, especially due to the growing threats in the digital space.

Digitalization has forced Le Monde to face several types of attacks, including DDoS in the early years. Today, the threats have evolved, with phishing and IP scans on public networks being the most frequent. The primary challenge has always been to protect internal resources from these attacks proactively.

Historically, Le Monde has used firewalls to filter traffic at Layers 3 and 4. Current firewalls integrate lists of malicious IP addresses. However, the group was looking for a complementary solution to address gaps, especially concerning VPNs, which can pose a serious threat. It was within this context that the group’s digital entity discovered CrowdSec.

Automating security and maximizing efficiency with CrowdSec

Le Monde has long relied on firewalls to filter traffic and for network protection. However, as VPNs and other threats emerged, Le Monde recognized the need for additional protection and began exploring additional security measures, ultimately leading them to discover CrowdSec.

CrowdSec stood out due to its collaborative trust network, allowing the sharing of malicious IP lists across a wide community of users. This collaboration enables proactive blocking of malicious IPs with the added assurance that false positives are minimized through rigorous controls

Laurent Sabri, Head of IT Infrastructure at Le Monde

Le Monde also saw the potential of sharing CrowdSec’s IP lists with other media organizations, amplifying its value across the industry.

Automated firewall updates

The integration of CrowdSec’s IP lists directly into Le Monde’s firewalls has eliminated the need for manual input, allowing for a seamless and automated process of blocking malicious IP addresses. This automation has not only significantly reduced the time required for such tasks but has also improved the overall operational efficiency of the IT team, enabling them to focus on more critical areas of security management.

CrowdSec was also implemented on the group’s web front-ends, where it delivered immediate, visible results. The collaborative nature of the solution, coupled with high-quality, controlled data, has proven to be a game-changer for our security posture.

Daniel Sendas, System and Network Administrator at Le Monde

Data accuracy

“CrowdSec provides reliable and updated threat intelligence,” says Daniel. CrowdSec’s IP lists are rigorously maintained, ensuring that they remain both accurate and up-to-date. This constant updating process guarantees that Le Monde is protected from the latest threats, while thorough data vetting and curation eliminates false positives. As a result, the organization benefits from high-quality, reliable threat intelligence, allowing for robust and effective protection of its digital infrastructure.

The partnership has not only led to significant time savings and operational efficiency but has also empowered Le Monde to drastically enhance their overall security. By continuously evolving and adapting to new threats, Le Monde and CrowdSec are making the internet a safer place for online businesses and their customers.