TIM unveils ‘Made in Italy’ Microchip for cybersecurity

TIM is launching the first cryptographic microprocessor (Secure Microchip) designed entirely in Italy and capable of improving security in various areas of technology, from mobile devices to Smart Cities, from cloud infrastructure to the Internet of Things (IoT) to defence systems.

The project was presented today in the presence of Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Federico Eichberg, Chief of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy together with Pietro Labriola, TIM’s CEO, Eugenio Santagata, TIM’s Chief Public Affairs and Security Officer and Telsy’s CEO and Elio Schiavo, TIM’s Chief Enterprise and Innovative Solutions Officer.

Conceived by a group of Italian engineers at Telsy - a TIM Group company focused on crypto and cyber security which operates as part of TIM Enterprise - it represents a new tool to strengthen autonomy and technological sovereignty in the framework of national and European cybersecurity strategies.

The solution, which can be integrated into various scenarios, meets the highest standards of security by design and ensures the utmost reliability in encrypted communication. The new microchip is an all-Italian root of trust which can safeguard any IT or communication system that processes sensitive or confidential information. The microprocessor is manufactured by an entirely European production chain, in collaboration with major companies in the sector.

The microprocessor was conceived for use in various contexts: civil, military, industrial, as well as for the protection of critical infrastructure such as, for example, railway tracks, electricity and water networks and dams. It can also be used in the increasingly widespread context of the Internet of Things, such as in smart cities, protecting data from sensors or surveillance cameras in urban and suburban areas. In the industrial sector, the Secure Microchip protects the whole production cycle by integrating a sophisticated encryption system with the most advanced cybersecurity functions, guaranteeing the security of machine-to-machine dialogue.

In particular, the microprocessor will fulfil the security requirements of small and medium enterprises and of all those individuals who will soon need to be equipped with more robust systems or adapt to the stringent cybersecurity requirements set out in the Cyber Resilience Act and in the EU Directives NIS2 and CER.

In the context of authentication systems, the microprocessor can generate encryption tokens to enable fully secure access to data and services in the cloud, such as business or public utilities applications, from mobile devices and PCs. The Secure Microchip can be integrated into servers, if the services and IT infrastructure are located in a private cloud. Use cases include Public Administration services such as digital identities or financial and home banking systems.

With this project, the TIM Group provides innovative technological solutions for cybersecurity. It marks an important step in the international promotion of the ‘made in Italy’ brand in the strategic industry of semiconductors, in line with the choices being implemented by Italy and the European Union to strengthen Europe's industrial ecosystem.