Italy's financial sector is back on the awareness trail. On 9 October 2026, the Bank of Italy announced the relaunch of "I Navigati", a campaign designed to promote the safe and informed use of digital tools and to help citizens, families and businesses defend themselves against cyber threats. According to the central bank, this edition places particular emphasis on the growing spread of frauds that exploit artificial intelligence.
Who is behind it. The campaign is promoted by CERTFin, the Computer Emergency Response Team of the Italian financial sector, which is chaired by the Bank of Italy and the Italian Banking Association (ABI) and run by ABI Lab. It is joined by the Bank of Italy, the insurance supervisor IVASS, ABI and the Polizia di Stato, Italy's State Police.
A long list of banks. Eighteen banks and banking groups are taking part, including Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, Banco BPM, BPER, BNL BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Italia, Fineco, Banca Mediolanum, Banca Sella, Credem, Gruppo BCC Iccrea and Gruppo Cassa Centrale. The initiative is also backed by Italy's data protection authority, the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) and the communications regulator AgCom, with the collaboration of international technology companies, according to the announcement.
Why it matters
AI raises the stakes. The Bank of Italy says the campaign aims to strengthen awareness of the risk of online scams, especially as AI-powered fraud becomes more widespread. Tools that can generate convincing messages, voices or images make scams harder to spot, which is why regulators and banks are betting on prevention and education alongside technical defences.
Practical guidance online. Information materials will be distributed through the digital channels of the participating institutions and banks, and will also be available on the official I Navigati website. They offer practical guidance on recognising cyber risks and adopting behaviours that help prevent them.
Open days in branches. At local level, participating banks will host Cybersecurity Open Days under the name "ConsapevolMente insieme" in their branches. The goal, according to the Bank of Italy, is to increase public involvement and awareness of how important prevention is in the fight against fraud.
- Check the official I Navigati website for the campaign's practical guides on spotting cyber risks.
- Look out for materials on the digital channels of your bank if it is one of the participating institutions.
- Ask your branch whether it is hosting a "ConsapevolMente insieme" Cybersecurity Open Day.
- Treat unexpected messages, calls or videos with extra caution, given the warning about AI-driven fraud.
Part of a wider effort. The Bank of Italy notes that these topics are central to the collaboration between CERTFin, ABI and the banks, and were also discussed at the Salone della Sicurezza-WeSec, a sector event that brought together authorities, institutions and public and private representatives working on different aspects of security.
Source: Banca d'Italia
Leave a Reply