The Worrying State of Cybersecurity in Italy

Category: Critical Infrastructure Security | Industry: Global | Level: Strategic | Source: Cyble

Researchers from Cyble Research & Intelligence Labs (CRIL) express concern over the state of cybersecurity in Italy, due to a rise in cyberattacks against all Italian industries. "The 8th largest economy in the world and 4th in the EU, Italy is bound to be a lucrative target for cybercriminals. On top of this, the ever-increasing threat landscape due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict has fundamentally transformed the attack surface due to frequently disclosed vulnerabilities and exposures." From a supply chain perspective, Italy stands in the top 10 as an exporter of goods and services serving a vital role in the global economy. However, its significance also makes it a prime target for threat actors. Attacks in September 2022, against Italian energy suppliers, Gestore dei Servizi Energetici (GSE) and Eni exacerbate concerns due to the energy crisis in the European Union. Other critical Italian entities impacted this year includes an automotive manufacturer losing approximately 900GB of data, the Italian Ministry of Defense, and Vodafone Italy. From measuring ransomware attacks, Italy is observed as the third most targeted entity in the European region following Germany and France. Italian entities operating in the manufacturing and professional services sectors have been the most prominent ransomware attack targets.

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