France SecNumCloud — ANSSI Cloud Security Certification

Why it Matters

SecNumCloudprovides a rigorous framework that assures cloud service security,operational resilience, and regulatory alignment for organizationshandling sensitive or regulated data in France.

Key benefits include:

• Strengthen security oversight

Establishes comprehensive controlsand independent audits to support continuous security management andrisk mitigation across cloud services.

• Enhance regulatory alignment

Enables organizations to demonstratecompliance with French and European regulations, facilitating lawfulprocessing and storage of sensitive data.

• Support operational resilience

Requires robust incident responseand business continuity planning, helping organizations minimizedowntime and maintain critical operations during disruptions.

• Increase audit readiness

Provides clear criteria fordocumentation and controls, enabling organizations to efficientlyprepare for external audits and regulatory reviews.

• Improve data protection measures

Implements strict data handling andprivacy requirements, improving safeguards for sensitive customer andorganizational information entrusted to cloud providers.

How it Works

The FranceSecNumCloud — ANSSI Cloud Security Certification is structuredaround a rigorous set of security control families, governancerequirements, and risk management processes defined by the FrenchNational Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI). The framework detailsmandatory technical and organizational safeguards, mapping them tocompliance and regulatory objectives specific to cloud serviceproviders operating in France. It incorporates a lifecycle approach,requiring continuous reassessment and improvement of securitypractices to maintain certification.

In practice,organizations implement SecNumCloud by conducting comprehensive riskassessments, aligning their cloud security controls and operationalprocesses with ANSSI’s predefined requirements. This involvesintegrating data protection, access management, and incident responseprotocols throughout their cloud environments. Regular complianceassessments, audit preparations, and ongoing monitoring are essentialcomponents, ensuring sustained adherence to governance and regulatoryexpectations while providing documented assurance to customers andregulators.

ThroughSmartSuite, organizations can operationalize SecNumCloud by utilizingcontrol libraries to structure required safeguards, employing riskregisters to track potential threats, and maintaining policygovernance workflows. The platform enables evidence collection,compliance tracking, and management of remediation activities. Auditreadiness and monitoring are streamlined with centralized dashboardsand automated reporting, supporting continuous improvement andsustained compliance with ANSSI cloud certification standards.

Key Elements

• Governance and Compliance Structure

Establishes requirements fororganizational accountability, regulatory alignment, and ongoingpolicy development in cloud environments.

• Risk Assessment and Management

Specifies systematic evaluation ofpotential threats, with ongoing risk identification, analysis, andmitigation activities.

• Data Protection and Privacy Controls

Defines measures for securing datathroughout its lifecycle, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, andcompliance with privacy laws.

• Operational Security and Resilience

Outlines controls for maintainingrobust operational processes, incident response planning, and servicecontinuity.

• Access and Identity Management

Describes credential handling,permission oversight, and robust authentication mechanisms torestrict and monitor system access.

• Monitoring and Incident Response

Organizes continuous monitoringrequirements and formalizes incident detection, reporting, andremediation procedures.

• Third-Party and Supply Chain Management

Specifies oversight of externalvendors to ensure consistent security posture across interconnectedservice providers.

Framework Scope

SecNumCloud isadopted by cloud service providers operating in France and entitiesmanaging regulated or sensitive data within cloud environments. Theframework governs security controls, data protection, and operationalprocesses, and is typically pursued when meeting French legalrequirements, supporting certification programs, or demonstratingcompliance and risk management for critical services.

Framework Objectives

SecNumClouddefines robust requirements to enhance cybersecurity, dataprotection, and regulatory compliance for cloud service providers inFrance.

Safeguard sensitive data through comprehensive security controls andprivacy measures

Strengthen risk management and incident response capabilities withincloud environments

Ensure compliance with French and European regulatory obligations fordata protection

Enhance operational resilience and service continuity for criticalinfrastructure sectors

Support transparent governance and enable effective oversight ofcloud service providers

Promote audit readiness through documented evidence of compliance andsecurity practices France's SecNumCloud (ANSSI) is a national cloudsecurity certification aligned with international standards such asISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018 and often mapped to CSA CCM or CSASTAR. Organizations pursue SecNumCloud for certification, regulatorycompliance, secure cloud service procurement, and to demonstratestrong cloud security governance to public-sector customers.

Framework in Context

France's SecNumCloud (ANSSI) is anational cloud security certification aligned with internationalstandards such as ISO/IEC 27017 and ISO/IEC 27018 and often mapped toCSA CCM or CSA STAR. Organizations pursue SecNumCloud forcertification, regulatory compliance, secure cloud serviceprocurement, and to demonstrate strong cloud security governance topublic-sector customers.

Common Framework Mappings

Organizationsmap France SecNumCloud to common cloud, security and privacyframeworks to streamline audits, demonstrate controls coverage,enable customer assurance, and align cloud-specific and dataprotection requirements across programs.

Mapped frameworks include:

CSA CloudControls Matrix (CCM)

CSA STAR(Security, Trust & Assurance Registry)

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO/IEC 27002

ISO/IEC 27017

ISO/IEC 27018

ISO/IEC 27701

SOC 2

‍