People first: How CYRUS is building cyber resilience across industries

Training is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect against cyberattacks. That’s the driving force behind CYRUS – a European project coordinated by Deep Blue and co-funded by the European Union – which is equipping people in manufacturing and transport sectors with the cybersecurity skills they need. As cyber threats become more frequent and sophisticated, it’s no longer enough to rely on technical systems alone. People are the first line of defense.

Cyberattacks are on the rise

In 2024 alone, there were 3.541 cyberattacks globally, a 27,4% increase over the previous year (source: Clusit, the Italian Association for Information Security). Italy is among the most affected countries, suffering 10% of all global attacks (compared to 4% in France, and 3% in Germany and the UK).

Manufacturing is with 16% of all attacks the second most targeted sector after news and media (18%). On the third place: Transportation with 7%.

Cyberattacks bring more than just downtime. The cause reputational damage as well as legal and regulatory consequences. On top there are financial losses with an average cost of a data breach of $4,45 million in 2023. And did you know? $8 trillion in total global damage last year. If cybercrime were a country, it would have the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China!

Cybersecurity culture starts with people

In today’s digital economy, reacting after a breach isn’t enough. Prevention is key – and training is at its core. That’s why CYRUS focuses on developing a cybersecurity culture across organisations.

Co-funded by the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme, CYRUS (A personalised, customised, work-based training framework for enhanced CYbeR-security skills across indUstrial Sectors) supports companies in the manufacturing and transport sectors with free, demand-driven training.

“With the rise of digitalisation and the spread of technologies like AI and automation, the risk of cyberattacks exploiting not just system vulnerabilities but human weaknesses is also increasing,” explains Alessia Golfetti, Human Factors Expert and Head of the Secure Societies at Deep Blue. “This is why a proactive and resilient approach based on continuous training and upskilling is essential – especially since cybercrime is constantly evolving in tactics, techniques and procedures. In short: today, more than ever, cybersecurity starts with people before technology.”

“Currently, the cybersecurity training landscape is quite fragmented,” Golfetti continues. “What’s needed is customised training, which is exactly what CYRUS aims to deliver: developing training based on existing skills, identifying gaps and analysing the specific needs of professionals in transport and manufacturing. The broader goal is to raise awareness around a topic that’s often seen as remote or secondary.”

A tailored approach for real needs

The CYRUS team developed a Cybersecurity Competence Framework to define the skills needed for various job roles – not just in IT or security, but also in management, HR, finance, and operations. It focuses on:

• Threat prevention
• Detection and response
• Interaction with digital systems

This framework was shaped through literature reviews, industry analysis, surveys, interviews and workshops with stakeholders. It ensures that training is customised to sector-specific needs and tailored to different employee roles.

“We built the framework using existing literature, experiences from other sectors and past projects, and insights gathered from surveys, interviews, and focus groups,” Golfetti adds. “It’s not only a tool for assessing real needs, but also a guide for designing highly personalised training paths tailored to each role within a company and the specific risks of each organisation.”

From pilots to practice: Training that works

In 2024, CYRUS launched a pilot phase with more than 500 participants from transport and manufacturing companies. Their roles ranged from administrative to technical.

Post-training interviews revealed three key needs:

• Shorter, more flexible training
• More focus on non-technical staff
• Real-world relevance

As a result, the CYRUS courses were refined to be:

• Max. 4 hours per course
• Primarily online (self-paced and webinar formats)
• Available in multiple languages (English, Polish, Italian and Hungarian)
• Rich with case studies and interactive methods

“CYRUS turns cybersecurity from a complex, abstract topic into something tangible and actionable for everyone,” adds Golfetti.

Free and easy to access: Start learning today

The full catalogue of over 40 free cybersecurity training courses is now available via the CYRUS website. Participants receive certificates for completion and a Certificate of Excellence for high test scores.

With CYRUS, cybersecurity isn’t just a technical challenge – it’s a shared responsibility. And the strongest defense starts with well-trained people.