OAD | Italian Observatory on Digital Attacks

Since 2026, OAD has no longer been just a survey on digital attacks and the digital security measures adopted by organizations. It is evolving into an independent, collaborative ecosystem that contributes to the spread of digital security culture in Italy.

 

The History of OAD

Since 2007, OAD has monitored the evolution of intentional digital attacks and the security measures adopted by Italian companies and Public Administrations.

The following table summarizes some of the historical data and distinctive features of OAD, which in its early years was known as OAI, the Italian Observatory on Cyber Attacks.

(*) Partners in previous OAD editions have all operated in the ICT and digital security sectors and include, 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 and Trend Micro. Some of these companies have since been acquired and no longer exist as independent brands.

OAI first, and OAD later, were conceived and developed by Marco R. A. Bozzetti, through Malabo Srl until 2025 and through his MRAB professional practice from 2026 onwards.

The image below shows the covers of all OAD/OAI final reports published to date. They can all be downloaded free of charge from the OAD archive.

 

The OAD Online Survey and Its Methodology

OAD is the only web-based survey in Italy dedicated to intentional digital attacks against the information systems of companies and organizations operating in Italy, as well as to the technical and organizational security measures they have implemented.

The survey is freely accessible and completely anonymous. It is open to companies and organizations of every sector and size, including Central and Local Public Administrations, regardless of their number of employees or turnover.

Because access to the online questionnaire is entirely open, the respondent sample does not have strict statistical significance. Nevertheless, the number of responses and their broad distribution by organization size and business sector provide meaningful insights into the digital attack landscape in Italy. This is particularly valuable for small and micro-sized organizations, which represent the vast majority of Italian businesses and are rarely covered adequately by other national and international surveys.

OAD uses LimeSurvey for its online survey. The platform has been customized with dedicated functions that automatically skip questions that are not relevant on the basis of previous answers and perform consistency checks on multiple-choice responses, helping respondents avoid contradictory selections.

The questionnaire has evolved progressively over the years while retaining one fundamental feature: it distinguishes what is attacked from how the attack is carried out, namely the techniques or families of techniques used.

The methodology and structure of the 2026 online questionnaire are described on this page.

 

The Evolution of OAD

OAD’s traditional objective remains the annual analysis of both intentional digital attacks affecting organizations in Italy and the digital security measures implemented within their information systems. At the same time, OAD contributes to the continuous education of professionals and decision-makers involved in digital security.

Completing the questionnaire and, above all, reading the annual report help strengthen digital security culture and increase awareness. This is especially important for non-technical decision-makers, typically senior executives who determine cybersecurity priorities, budgets and investments.

With the 2026 edition, OAD is taking a further step forward: it is evolving from an annual survey into a platform for awareness, knowledge-sharing and collaboration among professionals, associations, partners and communities.

 

OAD as a Collaborative Digital Security Ecosystem

OAD 2026 is built on collaboration among specialist professionals, associations, professional communities and partners actively engaged in promoting digital security culture.

The goal is not only to collect data on digital attacks, but also to contribute concretely to the growth of cybersecurity awareness in Italy, especially among SMEs, micro-enterprises and organizations with lower levels of digital maturity.

From this perspective, OAD is increasingly becoming an open and collaborative ecosystem in which research, awareness, education, community-building and professional discussion come together within a single initiative.

The following overview illustrates the OAD collaborative ecosystem. These initiatives complement the online survey and the final report and remain active throughout the year.

One OAD ecosystem, active throughout the year

 

 

The New OAD 2026 Survey Approach

With the 2026 edition, OAD introduces a major evolution of its online questionnaire, designed to encourage wider participation and make completion simpler, more useful and more immediate.

A More Agile Questionnaire

A simplified structure and shorter completion time compared with previous editions.

Accessible from Multiple Devices

Fully usable on smartphones and tablets through a responsive web application.

Final High-Level Assessment

Respondents who also complete the optional section receive a concise assessment of their organization’s digital security level.

Personalized Summary

Respondents can download a summary highlighting the main critical issues identified through their answers.

The real innovation is that the OAD questionnaire is no longer only a research tool. It is also becoming a practical awareness instrument capable of turning an abstract perception of cyber risk into concrete understanding.

 

Collaboration with AICA

As part of the 2026 edition, AICA contributes to the initiative by providing dedicated services designed to strengthen digital skills and cybersecurity awareness.

Those who complete the OAD 2026 questionnaire can access specific content and tools relating to Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence and ICT skills.

This collaboration further strengthens the practical value of the initiative for participants and expands OAD’s educational and awareness-raising dimension.

Discover the AICA services available to questionnaire participants

 

Collaboration with FIDAInform

OAD 2026 also benefits from the collaboration of FIDAInform, an organization active in promoting digital culture and cybersecurity.

This collaboration helps broaden the reach of the initiative and engage professionals, companies, associations and stakeholders interested in digital security.

 

Initiatives Supporting OAD’s Evolution into a Collaborative Ecosystem

 

The OAD Community

The OAD Community is free and open to anyone interested in digital security; it is not intended solely for specialists. Members receive selected information by email on digital security topics and OAD initiatives.

Joining the OAD Community provides a direct information channel, without the need to visit the OAD website continually for updates. The OAD LinkedIn Group offers a space for ongoing dialogue and effective collaboration, including the exchange of ideas, content, updates, analyses and perspectives on digital security.

OAD Insight is OAD’s new editorial series. Each week, on an alternating basis, it publishes a short article focusing either on a security technique or on a digital attack.

Join the OAD Community Read OAD Insight (in Italian)

 

The OAD LinkedIn Group

OAD is also active on LinkedIn through a dedicated group for sharing content, updates, analyses and discussions on digital security.

The OAD Group was created to provide an ongoing forum for professionals, companies, consultants, ICT practitioners and anyone interested in the evolution of cyber risk in Italy.

The group shares updates on the OAD survey, data, events, webinars, articles and in-depth content.

Find out how to join the OAD LinkedIn Group

 

The Official OAD LinkedIn Page

The official page provides information on the OAD collaborative ecosystem and its various initiatives. It complements the OAD website on the social platform most widely used by professionals.

Visit the official OAD LinkedIn page

 

Who OAD Is For

OAD is intended for anyone who manages, makes decisions about or contributes to the digital security of the information systems used by companies, institutions and other public or private organizations.

• CIOs, CISOs and ICT managers;
• system administrators and security managers;
• consultants, ICT suppliers and cybersecurity professionals;
• entrepreneurs, executives and decision-makers in SMEs and micro-enterprises.

 

Take Part in the OAD 2026 Ecosystem

Complete the questionnaire, become a partner, request institutional patronage or join the OAD Community and LinkedIn Group.

Complete the questionnaire (in Italian) Become a Partner Become a Patron (Italian page) Join the OAD Community

OAD 2026 is developed under the leadership of Marco Bozzetti and in collaboration with AICA and FIDAInform, within a network of specialist expertise and organizations actively engaged in promoting digital security culture. The Report will also include a chapter dedicated to data from the Italian Postal and Cybersecurity Police on computer crime in Italy.