Nearly half of the French population was affected by a personal data leak in 2026, according to the Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr barometer conducted with Ipsos. In this context, securing one’s system is no longer limited to installing antivirus software. Threats are shifting towards phishing, compromises at third-party organizations, and vulnerabilities in public services. Measuring the gap between traditional protections and real risks allows for targeted actions that matter.
Real threats vs. traditional protections: where is the gap
| Type of threat | Traditional protection | Real coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Viruses, local malware | Real-time antivirus | High |
| Phishing | Webmail anti-spam filter | Partial |
| Data leak at a third party | No local protection | None |
| Targeted ransomware | Antivirus + firewall | Variable depending on signatures |
| Identity theft post-leak | Password manager | Partial (if MFA absent) |
The imbalance is clear. The tools installed on a workstation effectively cover local threats, but the majority of recent incidents originate from outside the system. Compromises affect administrations, telecom operators, healthcare institutions, or banking services. No personal firewall protects against a hacked database on a third-party server.
On the other hand, certain software measures significantly reduce the impact of an external leak. Multi-factor authentication (MFA), login alerts, and active monitoring of bank accounts turn stolen data into unusable information.
To delve deeper into these settings and choose the right system utilities, Trucnet’s net tips detail concrete configurations suitable for Windows.
Phishing in France: the leading reported threat and filter blind spots
Phishing has become the leading reported threat in France, sharply increasing since 2024. The anti-spam filters integrated into browsers and webmails block some attempts, but the most recent campaigns exploit compromised legitimate domains, bypassing reputation detection.
An anti-spam filter does not protect against a link hosted on a trusted domain. Attackers use pages hosted on hacked government or university sites, redirects via URL shortening services, or unusual format attachments that analysis engines do not decompress.
What works on the user side
- Always check the full address of the sender, not just the displayed name. An email from “La Poste” sent from a domain unrelated to laposte.fr is an immediate red flag.
- Never enter an identifier after clicking on a link received via email or SMS. Open the relevant site manually in the browser.
- Enable login notifications on every sensitive service (email, banking, tax administration). An unrecognized login triggers an alert before the attacker can act.
These reflexes do not replace a technical filter, but they precisely cover the area that filters leave open.
Data leak at a third party: measures that local systems do not take
PC security guides focus on the content of the workstation. The compromise of your data at a third party (administration, operator, employer) completely escapes this logic. The hacking of the DGFiP reported in 2026 illustrates the problem: taxpayers’ fiscal data was exposed without any local flaw being involved.
Post-incident actions are more decisive than preventive protections in this scenario. Monitoring bank statements in the weeks following a reported leak, changing passwords for affected services, and filing a complaint in case of fraudulent use constitute the minimal foundation.
Strong authentication and passkeys for SMEs and individuals
MFA (multi-factor authentication) remains underutilized. Passkeys, which replace the password with a cryptographic key linked to the device, are beginning to be deployed on consumer services. Their adoption by SMEs is also progressing, as noted by several industry analyses.
The concrete difference: a password stolen during a leak allows immediate access to the account. An account protected by MFA or passkey renders the stolen data unusable without the second physical factor.
Backup and segmentation: two system features often misconfigured
The automatic backup integrated into Windows (file history, restore points) has existed for years. Yet it remains disabled by default on many installations. A ransomware that encrypts the main disk also destroys local backups if they are stored on the same partition.
A useful backup is one that is disconnected from the main system. An external drive connected only during the copy, or a remote storage service with versioning, withstands local encryption.
Segmentation, on the other hand, involves separating uses. Using a browser dedicated to banking operations, another for regular browsing, and a distinct user profile for system administration reduces the attack surface. If one browser is compromised via a malicious extension, the sessions open in the other browser remain intact.
The combination of disconnected backup and browser segmentation covers two vectors that neither antivirus nor firewall directly address. These settings take a few minutes and require no additional software.
The Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr barometer from September 2026 confirms an underlying trend: attacks are increasingly targeting data hosted elsewhere rather than on your machine. Securing your workstation remains necessary, but real protection now involves MFA, active account monitoring, and backups physically separated from the system.
