Paris 2024 Olympics: Chinese giant Alibaba will not handle sensitive data

Trust has limits. After months of discussions, the French state and the organizers of the Olympic Games (OG) in Paris have decided to entrust Atos with the management of sensitive data for the Games, according to sources at Agence France-Presse (AFP). Initially, this data was to be hosted by the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, an official sponsor of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Ultimately Atos will take care of it on behalf of the partner, the latter retaining direct management of the other data.

The rather complex file has been the subject of meetings at the highest level of the state for almost a year, in particular with the National Agency for Security and Defense of Information Systems (Anssi). It was planned that Alibaba, as a sponsor of the IOC, would host in its cloud, in particular, a file of people accredited for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Risks of Exfiltration”

Discovering that this file, which includes tens of thousands of contact data (guests, public authorities, media, etc.), fell under this company, the French state, in particular the Ministry of the Interior, was seriously disturbed, as well as several others. Sources told AFP that they questioned the fact of leaving the personal data of French police officers in a file with a Chinese company.

This fear is reflected in an interim report by the Court of Auditors this summer on security: Accredited entities under review “A large volume of personal data and government data. This data is particularly sensitive and incompatible with Alibaba hosting.The Court of Auditors writes.

it causes “Risks of exploitation of Olympic information systems databases for strategic purposes or economic espionage, Olympic information systems and inter-connections of government services, even for the purpose of taking or terminating further actions.” Operation of infrastructure in case of international tension”. Conclusion: We should “Arbitration as soon as possible”.

Behind the scene

In turn, the company Alibaba, questioned by AFP, said that it does not comment “rumors” neither “Speculation”. This sports, diplomatic, technical and economic business is mostly going on behind the scenes. Along this path, the National Commission for Computing and Liberties (CNIL) played its advisory role.

Alibaba will pay Atos to act as a “trusted third party” in the management of this sensitive data, which will be physically located in France, AFP has also learned. An industry source explained that Atos would use its cloud dedicated to government military and security contracts. As for data transiting this infrastructure, it will be encrypted for security purposes.