Orange and Atos partner to ramp up smartphone security
Atos and Orange have agreed a strategic alliance aimed at jointly delivering secure smartphone services to clients and customers. Orange will provide a global network of customer demand, while Atos will bring in its Hoox secure smartphone offering. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
Cybersecurity is a going concern for consumers, business and governments. In the case of businesses, businesses secrets, as well as personal information, represent promising targets for rivals as well as other interested parties. The rise of Internet of Things (IoT), adding a range of devices onto corporate network, creates a range of new security threat vectors however, with the further growth of IoT likely to see the number of comprisable interfaces to the network increase.
In the case of smartphones, manufacturers and users are increasingly embracing applications to bolster their security frontier. One system that deals with the security of smartphones is Hoox, software developed by Atos’ technology subsidiary Bull. Hoox is a professional native-security smartphone for professional users. The device provides an operating system and software that has a host of inbuilt security features, including encrypts voice and SMS data and all data stored or exchanged, and protects the applications. The offering is certified by the French IT Systems Security Agency ANSSI for the Restricted Distribution communication level.
In a bid to improve its mobile security offerings, Atos and Bull have struck an alliance with Orange –with more than 157,000 employees across the globe and revenues of €39 billion one of the world’s largest telecommunications operators. Besides providing products and services to consumers, of which 200 million are mobile customers, the company also provides IT and telecommunications services to multinationals – under its Orange Business Services brand.
The two partners will work together to deliver a secure mobile terminal offering to the communications market. As part of the deal Orange Cyberdefense will become the privileged partner to offer Hoox, and related solutions, to its large customer base. Future services to be made available through the deal, are in development, and include the "Hoox App IOS and Android". The deal partnership spans Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Pierre Barnabé, COO Big Data & Security at Atos, says: "We are proud to associate our company with Orange Cyberdefense and reap the benefits of its powerful sales network as one of the leading telecommunications operators in the world. This partnership will enable us to enhance our development in the market of secured communications".
Michel Van Den Berghe, CEO at Orange Cyberdefense, comments: "This agreement with a major industrial player such as Atos enables us to offer the market's widest range of secure communications services. The partnership enhances our high-security services for mobile personnel exchanging sensitive information".
