Cybersecurity challenges rise for SMEs amid new EU regulations

Cybersecurity threats are rising significantly, with the Clusit 2025 report noting a 42% increase in cyberattacks compared to 2024. In Italy, 507 serious incidents were recorded in 2025, accounting for 9.6% of the global total.

To support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in meeting new European regulatory requirements, such as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), the European project APPtake has been launched. Involving partners like the digital innovation center Cefriel, the project aims to provide SMEs with DevSecOps tools and methodologies to integrate security throughout the application development lifecycle. This includes addressing the risks associated with AI-generated code and ensuring human oversight and traceability.

Despite advancements in defensive technologies like firewalls and multi-factor authentication, human error remains a critical vulnerability. Data indicates that 95% of cyber incidents originate from human error, often through phishing or weak credentials. In Italy, phishing and social engineering caused 12.4% of serious incidents, a 66% increase from the previous year, exacerbated by the use of AI and deepfakes to create more convincing fraudulent communications.