Associazione Bancaria Italiana

The Associazione Bancaria Italiana (ABI) is the trade association that represents the Italian banking industry. It serves as a liaison between its member banks and national and European regulatory authorities, advocating for policies that affect the sector. ABI provides a platform for sharing information on market developments, risk management practices, and operational guidelines among its members. In addition to its representative role, the organisation coordinates the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for Italy's financial sector, working alongside the Bank of Italy to address cyber threats. Through this CERT function, ABI facilitates the exchange of threat intelligence and coordinates incident response activities for participating banks. The association does not offer products or services directly to retail consumers but focuses on the collective needs of its banking members.

ABI is headquartered in Italy, reflecting its national focus on the Italian banking system. The organisation has been involved in significant cybersecurity incidents, including ransomware attacks in early 2022 that compromised internal data such as employee records, health certificates, and non‑public operational documents. These incidents highlighted ABI’s role in managing sensitive information for its members and its responsibility to implement protective measures after breaches. Following the attacks, ABI reported the breaches to law enforcement, refused to meet ransom demands, and reinforced its infrastructure security. While the association’s exact size or membership count is not stated in the available sources, its involvement in sector‑wide cybersecurity coordination demonstrates its recognised authority within the industry.