Cybersecurity decree coming in November, task force to protect the Farnesina

The long-awaited new decree on the subject of cybersecurity, which was suddenly postponed, could arrive in the second half of November, after the third and final appointment of the technical table at Palazzo Chigi that will definitively close the framework of the new rules with binding guidelines. The measure - already planned and concerning changes to the judicial system and cybercrime - in the intentions of Guardasigilli Carlo Nordio would entrust the investigative competence on cybercrime to the National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor's Office.

The provision, postponed by Chigi before the last Council of Ministers, was, according to some sources, suspended for the time being after an interlocution of the ministers with Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano due to a timing problem, which does not only concern approval in Parliament but also the need to share the choice with the Quirinal, including possible suggestions from the Colle. In the last few hours, however, the cybersecurity nucleus, which also includes the National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo and Bank of Italy Governor Fabio Panetta, has met with the aim of "deepening the issue of abusive access to digital databases and effectively tackling the phenomenon", also in light of the developments in the Milanese investigation into dossiers.

"What has happened and is happening is unacceptable and disturbing, and constitutes a serious and concrete danger to our democracy," Minister Nordio commented in the Chamber. "We are investing a number of very important sums to implement security against hacker attacks, in the knowledge that the whole world has been found unprepared for the aggression of hacking, precisely because the malicious insiders in all sectors they always act and intervene before the State provides itself with the necessary and sufficient regulation to control them, then a time will come, and for us it is a very near time when we will be able to control them completely,' said the Guardasigilli, specifying that efforts are being made to solve the problem 'both at the regulatory and technological level'.

Meanwhile, for the strengthening of the cyber services and systems of the public administration, funding totalling over 715 million euro has already been arranged by the National Cybersecurity Agency. And the Farnesina has now decided to set up a task force, along with the embassies' cyber-guarantee action for the control of artificial intelligence, also for data security. 'I believe all other ministries will do the same for other databases,' explains Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. We will run for cover and activate all the necessary tools to defend the right to privacy of citizens, and also the institutions, knowing full well that databases are oil wells that are also worth a lot in economic terms'.

Viminale chief Matteo Piantedosi also intervened on the subject: 'Security in Italy is not at risk, there are safeguards to be kept in place, alerts to be improved, there is an investigation, but it is not the case to send misleading messages. I am witness to the fact that, for example, the databases of the Ministry of the Interior are proving to be secure, there is no evidence of hacking from outside. Of course, there must be more careful management and less prone to misuse'.