Banks and insurance companies under attack: hackers move from emails

Cybercrime is increasingly targeting banks, while hacktivist groups focus on insurance companies. In the first nine months of 2026, Italy's CSIRT reported 168 incidents in these sectors, with 47 classified as confirmed incidents. The banking sector faced 137 events, 44 of which were incidents, while the insurance sector had 31 events and three incidents. Cybercrime accounted for 64% of banking events, while hacktivism represented 83% in insurance, primarily through DDoS attacks. Non-cyber incidents, mainly operational failures, were also significant. Email remains the primary attack vector, with third-party vulnerabilities posing additional risks. The ACN anticipates continued attacks on account and remote access systems, with phishing becoming more sophisticated due to generative AI. Coordination with the Bank of Italy is emphasized for effective response.