Digital sovereignty and cyber: why your security data shouldn't cross the Atlantic
In 2026, cybersecurity is a strategic issue for all companies. NIS2, DORA, GDPR — regulatory obligations keep stacking up. Yet the paradox is real: many organizations entrust their most sensitive security data to solutions hosted in the United States, subject to the Cloud Act. A legal risk that few companies have measured.
Key takeaways
- The Cloud Act authorizes US authorities to access your GRC data, even if hosted in Europe.
- NIS2 and GDPR reinforce the obligation to control the location of your security data.
- GRC data is among the most sensitive in your organization — it reveals your weaknesses.
- Eyako is a 100% French GRC solution, hosted in France, built for SMEs and mid-market companies.
The Cloud Act: a concrete threat to your GRC data
What is the Cloud Act?
The Cloud Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act), enacted by the United States in 2018, authorizes US authorities to compel American tech companies to provide access to data stored anywhere in the world, including in Europe.
Why is this a problem for your GRC?
In practice: if your GRC tool is a US solution, American authorities can access your risk maps, assessments of critical service providers, and business continuity plans. Data that, in the context of an investigation or international commercial dispute, could be used against you.
This isn't paranoia — it's international law.
The CNIL and ANSSI have repeatedly warned about these risks of data transfers to third countries without equivalent guarantees. This applies to Vanta, the American market leader, whose servers are located outside European territory.
NIS2 and GDPR: sovereignty is no longer optional
What NIS2 concretely requires
The NIS2 directive, transposed into French law in 2024, now covers thousands of French SMEs and mid-market companies newly classified as essential or important entities. It imposes strict requirements on:
- Risk management — obligation to map, assess and treat cyber risks
- Supply chain security — assessment and monitoring of critical suppliers
- Incident notification — constrained timelines (24h / 72h) for reporting to authorities
- Traceability — documentation of measures taken and remediation decisions
To be NIS2 compliant, you need a GRC solution. But if that solution itself creates a sovereignty risk, you have a problem.
The GDPR paradox
GDPR is explicit: transferring personal data to a third country without adequate protection mechanisms is illegal. And GRC data often includes information about your employees, customers and partners.
Using an American tool to manage your GDPR compliance potentially violates GDPR in order to be GDPR compliant. The irony would be funny if the stakes weren't so serious.
Tenacy understood this first — and made it a differentiating argument
Our colleagues at Tenacy were among the first GRC players to position sovereignty as a central commercial argument. France-hosted, Hexatrust-qualified, ANSSI-aligned architecture — they built a sovereign offering.
It's a strong signal: the market is evolving. French decision-makers are becoming aware of the problem. RFPs increasingly include sovereignty criteria.
The question is no longer "does sovereignty matter?" — but "which sovereign solution to choose?"
Eyako: born in France, built for French companies
A solution built for your reality
Eyako is a 100% French cyber GRC solution, developed and hosted on French territory, from La Réunion island.
But beyond geography, Eyako was built with a strong conviction: advanced cybersecurity must be accessible to SMEs and mid-market companies, not just large enterprises with dedicated teams and unlimited budgets.
The problem with American solutions for French SMEs
Solutions like Vanta are designed for Anglo-Saxon tech scale-ups, with dedicated security teams and an already mature compliance culture. The result: they're oversized, too complex and too expensive for the reality of French SMEs.
Eyako is the cyber command platform that the CISO — or the CTO who also wears the security hat — always wanted to have.
The concrete comparison: Eyako vs. Vanta
| Criterion | Eyako | Vanta |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | France (La Réunion) | USA |
| Cloud Act exposure | None | Yes |
| GDPR / NIS2 native | Yes | Partial |
| Primary target | French SMEs / mid-market | Anglo-Saxon tech scale-ups |
| Interface language | French | English |
| Pricing | Accessible for SMEs | US market pricing |
| ANSSI alignment | Yes | No |
Conclusion: sovereignty is not an argument — it’s a requirement
In 2026, choosing your cyber GRC solution also means choosing where you place your trust. In a regulatory context (NIS2, GDPR, DORA) that makes data traceability and location a compliance issue, the sovereignty of your GRC tool becomes a non-negotiable prerequisite.
Eyako gives you the power of a CISO Command Platform — cyber signal aggregation, compliance governance, risk and supplier management — in a 100% sovereign framework, built for the reality of French SMEs.
Your security deserves a solution that understands your regulatory context. And stays in France.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cloud Act and why is it a problem for GRC data?+
Does NIS2 require using a sovereign GRC solution?+
What is the difference between Eyako and Vanta for a French SME?+
Can using an American GRC tool violate GDPR?+
Why is GRC data particularly sensitive?+
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100% French GRC solution, built for SMEs and mid-market companies. Hosted in France. NIS2 & GDPR compliant.
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