AbiLab, the banking research and innovation centre promoted by the Italian Banking Association (“ABI” - Associazione Bancaria Italiana), is participating in the implementation of the initiative.

The project aims to establish a system for identifying potential areas where personal data security can be improved. The focus is on what is circulating on the Internet. The aim is to identify weaknesses in relation to the protection of this information and to establish a decision support system which will allow identified issues to be analysed and corrected immediately and effectively. The objective of DEFeND is, therefore, to define, design and develop a platform to support representative organisations of key industries and sectors in complying with the operational guidelines of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The banking and financial sectors are among the targeted areas.

DEFeND is an Innovation Action (IA) project, and as such its primary focus will be on improving existing software tools and frameworks by developing new ‘integration software’, driven by market needs, to deliver a unique organisational data privacy governance platform.

The initiative was developed by a consortium of ten European public and private organisations from Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Greece, France, and Bulgaria.

AbiLab, in partnership with the other entities, will contribute to the analysis of the operational and technological requirements that are necessary for the project’s application and implementation at a banking level. In particular, a dedicated group of banks will be set up to analyse and verify the main results of the initiative through a pilot study. AbiLab will also provide practical support with regard to dissemination and communication activities and will play a key role in promoting the project at a European level to relevant banks and financial institutions.