OAD 2026 - EN
With this edition, OAD 2026 reaches its 19th consecutive year of research on intentional cyber attacks in Italy and on the digital security measures currently adopted within the information systems of companies of all sizes and sectors operating in Italy, as well as central and local public administrations.
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The OAD initiative
The table below summarizes some historical and defining features of OAD, which in its early years was called OAI – Osservatorio Attacchi Informatici in Italia.
| 19 consecutive years of surveys since 2007 | 14 final reports published, all available for free download at www.oadweb.it |
| Focus on Italy, framed within the European and global context | Over the years, 60% of respondents have consisted of SMEs and micro-enterprises (99.9% of the Italian market) |
| Freely accessible online questionnaire | Anonymous questionnaire |
| 300–500 responses per year | More than 1,000 downloads of the final report |
| A variable number of sponsors each year, including some major global ICT players (*) | An increasing number of free patronages, especially from non-profit associations, reaching 25 in the 2025 edition |
(*) The Partners of previous OAD editions all belonged to the ICT and digital security sector and included, in alphabetical order: Accenture, Advansys, Business-e, Cloudflare, Darktrace, Digitree, F5, HP, Inthecyber, IBM, Ireth, Lottomatica, Orsyp, Par-Tec, QIntesi, Ryesko, Seeweb, Sernet, Sophos, Technology Estate, Trend Micro.
Note: some of these companies were later acquired by others and no longer exist as standalone brands.
The image below shows the covers of all OAD/OAI final reports published so far, all of which can be downloaded free of charge from the OAD archive (mostly Italian-only content).
For a brief overview of the OAD initiative, its objectives and the methodology used, click here.
The new features of OAD 2026
The 2026 edition of OAD has been redesigned with a clear goal: to increase participation and make the initiative even more effective in producing useful, readable and up-to-date insights for the Italian market, which is still largely made up of SMEs, micro-enterprises and small public-sector organizations, especially at local level.
Today there are already many national and international surveys and reports on digital security and ICT attacks, produced both by institutions and by private companies. At the same time, potential respondents have less and less time — and often less willingness — to complete long questionnaires or take part in lengthy interviews.
OAD has therefore been completely rethought, both in relation to respondents and in relation to Partners and Patrons.
The idea and approach behind an innovative OAD 2026
- The online questionnaire, while remaining anonymous, is designed not only as a survey tool, but also as an operational awareness tool. It is intended to help transform a generic perception of cyber risk into a more concrete awareness of actual security weaknesses.
- For this reason, at the end of the questionnaire, including the optional section on digital security measures, respondents receive a personalized and printable summary with a high-level assessment of their digital security level and a list of the main critical issues highlighted by their answers.
- In this way, for those who complete it, OAD 2026 becomes not only a research initiative, but also a practical tool for self-assessment and awareness.
- The final report will be slimmer and easier to read than in previous editions, with selective use of boxes, highlights and visual markers to make the most important and critical points immediately visible.
- Sponsorship, which remains necessary to cover at least part of the annual costs of the initiative, should evolve into a more meaningful partnership model capable of generating real value for Partners.
- That value does not come from direct lead generation, since the survey is anonymous, but from being recognized as qualified market players able to address the critical issues highlighted by OAD.
- Patrons should also be more actively involved in the initiative, as they offer their members and stakeholders both a useful service and the opportunity to engage with the contents and results of the final OAD 2026 Report.
- The creation of an interactive and collaborative ecosystem among professionals, businesses, organizations, associations, and stakeholders interested in digital security, moving beyond the annual survey approach and encouraging ongoing exchange of diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives. With this in mind, the OAD Group on LinkedIn and the voluntary OAD Updates service have been launched. This service requires explicit registration and double-opt-in email confirmation, in line with best practices for managing digital communications and protecting privacy.
To explore the OAD 2026 approach in more detail, click on the following topics:
Collaborations
As in previous years, collaboration has once again been requested from the Postal and Cybersecurity Police Service, in order to obtain cybercrime data that will form the basis of a specific chapter in the final OAD 2026 Report.
In addition to the Postal Police, the association AICA and the federation FIDAInform will also actively collaborate in the initiative.
In particular, the three significant services offered by AICA, available only to those who complete the questionnaire, help make OAD 2026 even more attractive to potential respondents by increasing the perceived value of participation and encouraging full completion of the questionnaire.
Intellectual property
The intellectual property and copyright of the entire OAD 2026 initiative, including the online questionnaire, the contents of the Report, figures and charts, belong to Marco Rodolfo Alessandro Bozzetti and Malabo Srl.
Partners and Patrons may use OAD 2026 materials within the limits set out in their respective participation arrangements, provided that the source is acknowledged using the wording © OAD 2026.
Partner
Media Partner
Patrons
