The work is expected to focus on protecting industries most vulnerable to attacks over the past year. Including manufacturing companies, financial services institutions, the textile and fashion sector and utilities.

The agreement is set to leverage solutions offered by Tinexta’s Cyber Business Unit, while also drawing from Leonardo's resources and infrastructure, including the Global Security Operation Centre in Chieti.

The firms have committed to integrating their respective vertical technology components in the areas of internet of things (IOT), operational technology (OT), digital trust, blockchain-based distributed digital identity, digital onboarding and remote recognition.

The collaboration, initially marketed for Italy, comes amid a spike in cyber attacks over the past year, with the Italian Association for Information Security reporting a 12 per cent increase in 2020.

According to Tinexta subsidiary Swascan, Italy is the fifth largest target of ransomware attacks, behind jus the US, Canada, France and the UK.

"Along with Leonardo, we share a strong focus on cybersecurity and digital trust, convinced that they represent strategic assets for the economic recovery and the development of the national economic system,” Pier Andrea Chevallard, CEO of Tinexta, said.  

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“In fact, being able to count on secure digital infrastructures is an essential prerequisite for competitiveness in business and at Tinexta Group we are committed to their creation and ongoing improvement, precisely through the integration of aspects of trust certification and information security.”

Tommaso Profeta, managing director of Leonardo's cyber security division, said the delivery of such cyber security services would guarantee business continuity, protecting stakeholders from the high costs of cyber crime.

“The partnership with Tinexta and the synergy between our offerings dedicated to cyber security and digital trust allows us to further expand the range of solutions for digitisation and security, among the pillars of our Be Tomorrow - Leonardo 2030 strategic plan,” Profeta added.

The partnership is to be directed by a Joint Steering Committee, with participants from both parties, with a Management Committee also tasked with identifying and managing individual initiatives.

[Related: New cyber security bill tabled in Parliament]

Charbel Kadib

Author

News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media

Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.

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