Italian SMEs and Consumers Face Surge in Cyber and Scam Threats

Kaspersky’s security solutions detected more than 33,300 malware attacks on Italian small and medium‑size enterprises (SMEs) between January and April 2026, a rise of almost five‑fold compared with the same period in 2025. The most common lures were fake versions of ChatGPT (42 %), Claude (24 %) and DeepSeek (20 %). A further 415,000 attacks used counterfeit versions of messaging and video‑conference apps such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Kaspersky advises users to verify URLs, check email spelling and employ reliable security products.

Consumerismo No Profit reported that malicious campaigns in Italy nearly doubled from May to June 2026. Digital scams now frequently imitate official fines from SEND, PagoPA and ATAC, while smishing malware on Android devices and attacks on the tax agency’s refund systems also rose. At the same time, traditional door‑to‑door scams targeting elderly people have returned, with fraudsters posing as knife‑sharpeners or utility‑meter technicians to extract money.

Malwarebytes warned that phishing emails pretending to be antivirus‑renewal notices are on the rise. These messages copy corporate logos and branding, use fake sender addresses and urge recipients to click links or call phone numbers, leading to losses of millions of dollars each year. Experts recommend never clicking unknown links, avoiding phone calls from unsolicited emails and confirming any renewal through official channels only.