National Cybersecurity Agency annual report 2022: progress and challenges

Italy's National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) recently made its annual report available to the public, detailing the overall impact of its operations over the past year. The document, expressly required by the founding legislation and released to Members of Parliament, highlights ACN's actions, results and future projects for the 2022 calendar year, which extends from January 1st to December 31st. The report is not only a summary of the year's activities, but also serves as a guide for the future direction of ACN, proposing 82 initiatives to strengthen Italy's cyber capacity to meet the challenges of the digital world. These plans focus on three main objectives: protection, response and digital development of the country.

Focus on CSIRT Italy and security agreements

Italy's Computer Emergency Response Team, known as the CSIRT, faced 1,094 cyber incidents in 2022, of which 126 had major consequences. ACN also recorded 81 reports arising from legal obligations. The Agency managed 6 agreements in 2022, which launched 129 projects targeting 51 government entities, of which 16 were central and 35 were local. To ensure the quality, security, performance and scalability, as well as interoperability and portability of cloud services, ACN has implemented 67 measures to establish minimum standards for security, processing capacity, energy efficiency and reliability of digital infrastructures.

Cyber Innovation Network and international missions

ACN also launched the Cyber Innovation Network, an initiative to develop partnerships and shared programs in the field of cybersecurity. The main objective is to promote innovation and the technological and industrial strengthening of the country, through the development of a research and innovation agenda (R&I) and other cooperation initiatives at national and European level. In addition, ACN increased its international presence in 2022, carrying out 5 high-profile missions (Brussels, twice to the US, Israel, Canada), and participating in 19 bilateral meetings with representatives of foreign or foreign cybersecurity authorities governments, and 4 meetings with representatives of intergovernmental organizations.

The importance of the Cybersecurity Team

The Cybersecurity Unit (NCS) has played a role of primary importance in inter-ministerial coordination at a technical-operational level in the field of cybersecurity and national resilience in the cyberspace. In 2022, the NCS held 27 meetings, demonstrating ACN's continued commitment to ensuring an effective and coordinated response to cybersecurity issues. This commitment highlights the importance of ACN's work and its dedication to improving the country's resilience in the digital world.