A cybersecurity training session for SMEs in the productive sector of Puglia and the public administration, with the aim of increasing the companies’ understanding and knowledge of potential cyber threats and their possible cascading effects on the whole economy. With these objectives in mind, after the meeting in Catania, the second of the meetings organised in the main Italian cities by TIM Enterprise – the Group’s business unit dedicated to companies, public administrations and large customers – and the local representatives of Confindustria, began today in Bari.
The focus is on the new European Directive on Cybersecurity (NIS 2), which even small and medium-sized Italian companies will have to comply with by next year.
The increasing digitalisation of companies and public administrations exposes the entire supply chain to risks stemming from attacks on the least cyber-secure organisations. According to data collected by the TIM Research Centre, 61% of SMEs believe they could be the target of cyber attacks, but only 32% believe they are ready to manage them. More generally, in 2023, subjects targeted by cyber attacks grew by 187%. In particular, according to TIM’s cybersecurity systems, high-intensity Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks – where criminals overload websites, servers or network resources with huge amounts of malicious traffic – accounted for around 30% of total attacks, double the previous year. Italy is also the third-most affected country in Europe (and sixth in the world) in terms of the number of DDoS attacks, and the most affected EU country in terms of ransomware attacks, characterised by ransom demands.
In this situation, the provisions of the new NIS 2 Directive, which aims to raise the general level of cybersecurity in Europe, will also be applied to SMEs if they are suppliers to companies operating in certain sectors defined as critical, such as manufacturing, food, waste management, energy, transport, water and healthcare, as well as banking, finance and digital services. The measures range from risk analysis to incident management, from business continuity to supply chain and IT security. Further attention is required in relation to cyber strategies, employee training, encryption and two-factor authentication tools. Failure to comply with NIS 2 will result in significant penalties.
The event was attended, among others, by Sergio Fontana, President of Confindustria Bari and Barletta-Andria-Trani; Sabina Strazzullo, Head of National Institutional Affairs & Trade Associations at TIM, Vincenzo Fiore, President of the Innovative Tertiary and Communication Section, Confindustria Bari and Barletta Andria Trani; Michele Vecchione, Head of Security Offering at TIM Enterprise; Andrea Carlo Maria Dattola - Security Researcher & Ethical Hacking at TIM; Gianna Elisa Berlingerio, Director of the Economic Development Department of the Puglia Region; Nicolò Rivetti di Val Cervo, Head of the Network and Information Security and Union Disciplines Division, Regulatory Service, National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN).
Proceedings concluded with a speech by Michele D’Ambrosio, Digital Adviser - Digital Policies and Supply Chains, Life Sciences and Research of Confindustria.
There were numerous first-hand accounts from key local companies and academics: Lino Fornaro, Evolumia Senior Security Manager; Danilo Caivano, Full Professor at the Department of Computer Science - University of Bari Aldo Moro; Rossana Montemurro, Director of Spegea Business School; Francesco Divella, Divella Marketing and Communications Manager; Nicola Bellucci, Director of Information Systems and Risk Management - Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Scientific Research Hospital.
The meeting in Catania and Bari will be followed in the coming months by events in Naples, Rome, Milan and Modena.
Bari, 7 October 2024
