HWG SABABA’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CLUSIT 2026 REPORT
- Only 20% of organizations directly managing industrial plants have structured OT incident management plans, and only 5% conduct regular testing
- Only 10% of companies have formally defined roles and responsibilities for OT cybersecurity
Milan, March 17, 2026 – Once again this year, HWG Sababa – an Italian company providing managed services, strategic solutions, and cybersecurity consulting – is among the main contributors to the Clusit 2026 Report, the leading study on cybercrime in Italy and worldwide.
Presented today during the Security Summit in Milan, the Clusit 2026 Report includes an analysis conducted by HWG Sababa on the state of cybersecurity in industrial automation and control systems in Italy. The analysis highlights how the main critical issues are not exclusively linked to technological aspects, but often stem from shortcomings in cybersecurity governance models, the definition of roles and responsibilities, risk management processes, and the lack of integration between IT and OT security.
Indeed, the entry into force of the NIS2 Directive, the Cyber Resilience Act, the Machinery Regulation, and the Data Act – introducing increasingly stringent obligations – has raised awareness among industry operators of the need to carry out assessments related to cyber risk management in their industrial systems. However, the issues identified require new approaches to security and additional investments.
Roberto Caviglia, CTO of Y Cyber – HWG Sababa’s Business Unit dedicated to OT security – commented:
“The results of our analysis clearly show that it is necessary to accelerate the maturity journey of cybersecurity in industrial environments. This means investing more systematically in the protection of assets and adopting security processes throughout their entire lifecycle. To address an increasingly complex threat landscape and the new European regulatory requirements, organizations must adopt an integrated approach to OT security that combines governance, expertise, and technological controls to strengthen operational resilience and reduce exposure to cyber risks.”
Based on data collected between October 2024 and October 2025 through gap analysis and risk assessment activities carried out on companies operating across the industrial supply chain – including asset owners (organizations that directly manage industrial plants), system integrators, and technology manufacturers – HWG Sababa identified the most recurring and systemic vulnerabilities characterizing modern OT environments.
From HWG Sababa’s observatory, it also emerges that the companies most engaged in cybersecurity assessment activities belong to the Energy sector (35% of analyzed cases), followed by logistics and transportation (21%) and manufacturing (17%). This trend reflects the obligation for these sectors to comply with the evolving regulatory framework introduced by the European Union.
Despite the growing attention to the topic, the analysis shows that the cyber maturity of OT environments remains limited. More than 50% of organizations have introduced a separation between IT and OT networks; however, in most cases there is no full segmentation, resulting in potential risks for industrial network security.
Critical gaps also emerge at the organizational level, in terms of resources and processes: just over 10% of companies have formally defined roles and responsibilities for OT cybersecurity, and a similar percentage manages cyber risk through structured processes.
Finally, incident response capabilities remain limited: only 20% of asset owners have an incident response plan specifically designed for OT environments, and just 5% conduct regular testing.
For more information, the full CLUSIT 2026 Report is available here.
HWG Sababa
HWG Sababa is a full-service provider headquartered in Italy, specializing in cybersecurity across IT, OT and IoT domains. Through an end-to-end approach, the company delivers advanced services across three strategic areas: HyperSOC™, Audit, Offensive & Governance, and Security Implementation & Management. With 90% of revenues generated in Italy and 10% across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, HWG Sababa has experienced significant organic growth between 2022 and 2025, further strengthened by targeted M&A initiatives aimed at expanding technical expertise and enhancing geographic proximity to clients. The company primarily serves medium and large Italian enterprises operating in highly industrialized and regulated sectors with mission-critical infrastructures.
HWG Sababa has offices in Verona, Milan, Genoa, Florence, Rome, Bergamo, Bari, Tashkent, Vilnius, Dubai and Madrid.
Media Relations HWG Sababa
Barabino & Partners
Office: +39 02/72.02.35.35
Stefania Bassi – s.bassi@barabino.it 335 62 82 667
Linda Basilico – l.basilico@barabino.it 334 67 08 127
Elena Magni – e.magni@barabino.it 348 478 74 90
