A national cybersecurity authority has been established by means of Law Decree no. 82/2021, for the purpose of protecting national interests in the cyberspace.
In addition, a national cybersecurity strategy for the years 2022-2026 has been defined, which aims at planning, coordinating and implementing measures to make Italy a more secure and resilient country from the risks associated with the digital transition.
Among such risks, it is worth mentioning:
- cyber attacks, which exploit software errors, misconfigurations and weaknesses in protocols in order to steal data or damage the IT systems; and
- the spread of fake news, deep-fakes and disinformation campaigns, which tend to confuse and destabilise citizens through cyberspace.
In order to accomplish the afore-said goals (namely, protection of national strategic assets, response to cyber threats, secure development of technologies), the following enabling factors are deemed indispensable:
- training (i.e., creating a solid national workforce of experts and young talents with the necessary skills and competences); and
- promoting a cyber security culture, raising awareness in the public and private sectors and, in particular, in the civil society about cyber risks and threats (including cyber bullying that, although not new, never ceases to create social alarm).
National Cyber Security Strategy 2022-2026, Council of Ministers Presidential Decree of 17 May 2022 (published on the Official Gazette on 1 June 2022 no. 127)