Anticipates cyber risks and secures its critical data with Scality ARTESCA

As a dedicated player in project and construction site management, with commitments that can span up to ten years, Groupe ARSA relies heavily on the reliability and traceability of its data. The question was not if a cyberattack might occur, but how the company would be able to return to normal operations quickly and reliably.

In 2025, the significant increase in cyber insurance premiums, and the proliferation of documentation required by insurers, served as a catalyst.

This approach was also informed by his experience as a board member at another company that had been hit by a cyberattack a year earlier.

In this context, Groupe ARSA’s IT provider, Tebicom SA, proposed an immutable backup solution based on Scality ARTESCA. For David, several factors quickly made the difference:

• The ability to have a truly immutable backup, shielded from attacks that target the backups themselves.
• A financial model based on a one-time investment, including a 5-year license
• A price-to-performance ratio deemed particularly attractive given the current cybersecurity market

The initial investment, in the range of 30,000 Swiss Francs (approx. 32,000 Euros), is viewed as a long-term protection asset. Compared to the cost of cyber insurance — high premiums, deductibles, business interruption losses, delays, and uncertainties — the math is simple:

One-day deployment, completely transparent for teams. The operational implementation was designed not to disrupt employees’ daily routines. Specifically:

• An additional server is installed within the existing infrastructure.
• The operation takes place during the day without system interruption, and the final activation is performed outside working hours.
• No change in workflow is required from the teams.

No significant obstacles were encountered following the investment decision. The promise of a simple, fast, and smooth installation was kept, reinforcing management’s confidence in the choice, from both a technical and financial perspective.

Immutable backups, verified daily and ready for restoration in less than 24 hours.

Estimated amortization within two years, at a lower cost than standard cyber insurance.

Since going into production, the system has been running in the background without requiring daily intervention. Every morning, David Repond receives a confirmation email certifying that the immutable backup was successfully completed. This minimal ritual is enough to reassure the company that, should a serious incident occur, a clean and usable copy of the data would be quickly available.

For now, no full crash test has been conducted, and Groupe ARSA hopes to never experience a real attack scenario. However, the operational guarantee of a 24-hour restoration, established with the service provider, constitutes a major asset: the company knows it can tolerate 24 to 48 hours of IT downtime, but not the permanent loss or massive corruption of its data.

“It allows us to sleep a little better,” summarizes David Repond. Behind this simple phrase, the entire issue of business continuity, client trust, and risk management is addressed.

Prevention rather than reaction: Clear advice for hesitant companies. When asked what message he would send to a company that is still hesitant, David Repond leaves no room for doubt.

His argument is twofold:

• Economic: For a controlled entry cost amortized over a short period, Groupe ARSA benefits from a robust solution without recurring charges comparable to those of cyber insurance policies.
• Operational: Insurance covers costs, but it does not restore systems or data. Immutable backup, on the other hand, acts directly on recovery capability.

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