Gilles Crofils

Gilles Crofils

Hands-On Chief Technology Officer

Based in Western Europe, I'm a tech enthusiast with a track record of successfully leading digital projects for both local and global companies.1974 Birth.
1984 Delved into coding.
1999 Failed my First Startup in Science Popularization.
2010 Co-founded an IT Services Company in Paris/Beijing.
2017 Led a Transformation Plan for SwitchUp in Berlin.
May 2025 Eager to Build the Next Milestone Together with You.

Threat Hunting Techniques for Proactive Cybersecurity Defense

Abstract:

Technology and engineering leaders, such as CTOs and Directors of Engineering, should embrace a proactive cybersecurity defense posture to counter evolving cyber threats. This approach involves threat hunting to identify and neutralize advanced persistent threats, leveraging cyber threat intelligence for informed security decisions, and collaborating with ethical hackers to fortify digital infrastructure. These leaders play pivotal roles in driving proactive cybersecurity defense initiatives, ultimately aiming to foster digital trust, protect sensitive data, and ensure business continuity. A proactive cybersecurity defense strategy is crucial for instilling confidence in stakeholders, promoting growth, and maintaining a positive reputation in the digital realm.

Craft an abstract image that personifies the idea of assertive cybersecurity defense in an online world dominated by shades of blue. The scene portrays technology and engineering managers, identifiable as Caucasian and Hispanic, both male and female, metaphorically stationed at the frontline of a virtual fortress. Shown as pivots in threat hunting, they are actively scanning the horizon with avant-garde binoculars, spotting and neutralizing sophisticated prolonged challenges, portrayed as vague, serpent-esque digital elements. Integrate details that hint towards the usage of cyber threat knowledge, signified by luminescent data drifting into shields or bulwarks they are wielding or positioned behind, bolstering the defense. Allies embodying ethical hackers, shown collaborating with these leaders, are visualized as partners bathed in shimmering blue, collectively working to consolidate the fortress's barriers, garnished with complex, digital lock designs and cryptography symbols. Above this digital stronghold, a sky filled with binary numbers and virtual clouds signifies the relentless watchfulness demanded in this milieu. The overall ambiance should emanate a feeling of tenacious resilience and state-of-the-art stratagem in response to morphing cyber threats, nurturing online trust and assuring uninterrupted operations in an aesthetically entrancing, abstract depiction.
Threat Hunting, Proactive Defense, and Digital Trust: A Technology and Engineering Leadership Perspective

Threat Hunting: The Proactive Approach to Cybersecurity

In the face of ever-evolving cyber threats, organizations must adopt a proactive cybersecurity defense posture. Threat hunting, an innovative approach to security, empowers technology and engineering leaders, such as CTOs, Directors of Technology, and Directors of Engineering, to actively seek out and neutralize advanced persistent threats (APTs) that evade traditional preventive measures. Threat hunting focuses on uncovering hidden threats, minimizing risk exposure, and fortifying an organization's security posture.

Cyber Threat Intelligence: A Cornerstone of Proactive Defense

Cyber threat intelligence is the lifeblood of a successful threat hunting program. By gathering, analyzing, and acting upon actionable threat data, technology leaders can stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. Cyber threat intelligence empowers organizations to make informed decisions regarding their security infrastructure, ensuring they are prepared for potential attacks. Leveraging cyber threat intelligence is essential to thwarting APTs, minimizing damage, and maintaining digital trust.

Ethical Hacking: A Valuable Asset in the Pursuit of Digital Trust

Ethical hackers, or white-hat hackers, are a crucial component of a proactive cybersecurity defense strategy. These cybersecurity professionals utilize their skills to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in an organization's digital infrastructure before malicious hackers can exploit them. By collaborating with ethical hackers, technology and engineering leaders can ensure their systems, applications, and networks are fortified and secure, thereby fostering digital trust among stakeholders.

The Role of Technology Leaders: CTOs, Directors of Technology, and Directors of Engineering

CTOs, Directors of Technology, and Directors of Engineering play pivotal roles in driving proactive cybersecurity defense initiatives. They are responsible for setting security strategies, implementing robust cybersecurity infrastructures, and fostering a culture of security awareness within their organizations. By leveraging threat hunting, cyber threat intelligence, and ethical hacking, these technology leaders can create a secure digital environment that promotes digital trust, protects sensitive data, and ensures business continuity.

Digital Trust: The Ultimate Goal of Proactive Cybersecurity Defense

Digital trust is the foundation upon which successful organizations are built. By implementing a proactive cybersecurity defense strategy, technology and engineering leaders can ensure their organizations are well-protected against cyber threats, instilling confidence in stakeholders and solidifying digital trust. This trust is vital for driving growth, ensuring customer satisfaction, and maintaining a positive reputation in an increasingly digital world.

In conclusion, a proactive cybersecurity defense posture is critical to protecting an organization's digital infrastructure, maintaining digital trust, and ensuring long-term success. Threat hunting, cyber threat intelligence, and ethical hacking are essential tools in the technology leader's arsenal, enabling them to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals, minimize risk exposure, and build a secure digital environment for their organizations.

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25 Years in IT: A Journey of Expertise

2024-

My Own Adventures
(Lisbon/Remote)

AI Enthusiast & Explorer
As Head of My Own Adventures, I’ve delved into AI, not just as a hobby but as a full-blown quest. I’ve led ambitious personal projects, challenged the frontiers of my own curiosity, and explored the vast realms of machine learning. No deadlines or stress—just the occasional existential crisis about AI taking over the world.

2017 - 2023

SwitchUp
(Berlin/Remote)

Hands-On Chief Technology Officer
For this rapidly growing startup, established in 2014 and focused on developing a smart assistant for managing energy subscription plans, I led a transformative initiative to shift from a monolithic Rails application to a scalable, high-load architecture based on microservices.
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2010 - 2017

Second Bureau
(Beijing/Paris)

CTO / Managing Director Asia
I played a pivotal role as a CTO and Managing director of this IT Services company, where we specialized in assisting local, state-owned, and international companies in crafting and implementing their digital marketing strategies. I hired and managed a team of 17 engineers.
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SwitchUp Logo

SwitchUp
SwitchUp is dedicated to creating a smart assistant designed to oversee customer energy contracts, consistently searching the market for better offers.

In 2017, I joined the company to lead a transformation plan towards a scalable solution. Since then, the company has grown to manage 200,000 regular customers, with the capacity to optimize up to 30,000 plans each month.Role:
In my role as Hands-On CTO, I:
- Architected a future-proof microservices-based solution.
- Developed and championed a multi-year roadmap for tech development.
- Built and managed a high-performing engineering team.
- Contributed directly to maintaining and evolving the legacy system for optimal performance.
Challenges:
Balancing short-term needs with long-term vision was crucial for this rapidly scaling business. Resource constraints demanded strategic prioritization. Addressing urgent requirements like launching new collaborations quickly could compromise long-term architectural stability and scalability, potentially hindering future integration and codebase sustainability.
Technologies:
Proficient in Ruby (versions 2 and 3), Ruby on Rails (versions 4 to 7), AWS, Heroku, Redis, Tailwind CSS, JWT, and implementing microservices architectures.

Arik Meyer's Endorsement of Gilles Crofils
Second Bureau Logo

Second Bureau
Second Bureau was a French company that I founded with a partner experienced in the e-retail.
Rooted in agile methods, we assisted our clients in making or optimizing their internet presence - e-commerce, m-commerce and social marketing. Our multicultural teams located in Beijing and Paris supported French companies in their ventures into the Chinese market

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