by InTrieste
In a region that sits at the crossroads of European trade and diplomacy, Friuli Venezia Giulia is placing cybersecurity front and center—not just as a matter of technological resilience, but as a pillar of economic growth and social stability.
“Cybersecurity is a priority for our Region,” said Pierpaolo Roberti, Regional Councillor for Local Autonomies and Security, as he opened the Glocal Cybersec 2025 conference this morning in Trieste. “It’s essential not only for the proper functioning of public administration and governance, but also for the trust that underpins social cohesion and economic development.”
The conference, hosted in the grand hall of the Venezia Giulia Chamber of Commerce, drew policymakers, business leaders, and cyber experts from across the country. It was organized by Finest, a regional agency supporting international business growth, and the Sprint office for internationalization.
Roberti described cybersecurity as “a vast field,” ranging from everyday scams that target private citizens to high-level cyberattacks—some of which, he noted, have been retaliatory responses to political actions at the national level. “We’ve seen cyber intrusions and attacks of national scale, sometimes directly linked to official government positions taken by our Head of State,” he said.
The Region’s approach, Roberti emphasized, begins with prevention. “Training is our first line of defense,” he explained. “Knowing the basic steps to protect oneself from data theft or digital crime is the foundation of cybersecurity.”
But as artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and accessible, new challenges are emerging—especially the potential for AI-powered impersonation. “Today, with just a phone number, it’s possible to replicate a person’s voice with uncanny accuracy,” Roberti warned. “Such tools can deceive even top-level officials.”
The growing criminal use of AI, he argued, makes it urgent to foster a widespread culture of cyber awareness and resilience.
The conference’s opening remarks were delivered by Antonio Paoletti, President of the Chamber of Commerce, and Alessandro Minon, President of Finest.
As Trieste positions itself as a strategic hub for digital security dialogue, one message rang clear: cybersecurity is no longer a technical issue—it’s a civic one.
