One of the most expert law firms in cyber attacks is from Friuli

The D'Agostini law firm mainly deals with cyber attacks, respect for privacy, patents and artificial intelligence

UDINE – The jurist today must face new technologies. Both in consultancy to protect citizens’ rights and in supporting the most innovative companies, the lawyer cannot ignore the scenarios and methods of new crimes. Cyber attacks, respect for privacy, tech patents and, of course, violations linked to the use of artificial intelligence. Avvocati D’Agostini is the law firm that operates in Udine in an increasingly dynamic and evolving context, precisely because it specializes in ICT Law, law in the digital sector. “We are jurists who talk about technology“, summarizes David D’Agostini who has been dealing with IT law for over twenty years and has led the firm since 2010 with his brother Diego and three other professionals.< /p>

The issues that most involve Avvocati D’Agostini with clients are: computer crimes, e-commerce, unfair competition in digital markets, data protection. The skills are updated daily, and the study is already ready for the application of the AI Act, the next European regulation on artificial intelligence.

“Only in recent months – explains David D’Agostini – have we encountered a significant increase in cyber-attacks. Most of these are ransomware, illicit operations that begin with the encryption of data to then ask for a ransom. Unfortunately, it often happens that this data can no longer be recovered: for a company, for its industrial policies, it is an immense damage. Let’s think about what could happen if personal material or knowledge, such as projects, agreements, were spread online or on the dark web”. And this also applies to citizens’ personal data, for example patients’ health information. Another type of increasingly invasive scam is the ‘man in the middle’ cyber attack: during a transaction between companies (or between private individuals) a cyber criminal inserts himself into the conversation, via email for example, and diverts payments. “At the moment I have two files on my desk on this very topic, they concern local companies and foreign suppliers. In these dynamics, important sums can be lost, 50, even 100 thousand euros”, adds David D’Agostini.

For the two jurists, “no one can say they are safe”. Although awareness is growing and there are numerous cyber solutions to protect yourself, there is always a weak point. “And it is us – continues David – man is always the weak point, because it has become more difficult to recognize a cyber attack in progress and it is useless to cry over spilled milk. We therefore need to adopt preventive policies on three levels: technological, organizational and legal, possibly with the help of consultants who are experts in the matter”.

As happens with the emergence of any technological innovation, artificial intelligence, in this field, can be criminogenic. “AI has increased the aggression capacity of attackers. Let’s think about the counterfeiting of the voice, of the image. It’s no longer science fiction: it also happens every day in our operational area , the Triveneto above all, and Northern Italy in particular”. David D’Agostini, however, as a profound expert on the subject, also appreciates the good side of AI: “For those like us who have a vocation for innovation in the forensic field, and a passion born in pioneering times, the possibilities offered by Large language models (Llm), such as GPT, Gemini, Copilot, are notable. After studying during 2023, from this year we have started to implement Llm in our way of working of these solutions”.

It is not obvious to underline that not everything can be delegated to artificial intelligence. Diego D’Agostini, who is the soul of the studio most anchored to tradition, specifies: “Despite our tech side, the relationship with the client is always, still, based on transparency, listening, personalized consultancy. It is a relationship of trust, human”. Also for this reason, the two lawyers do not fear that AI will one day be able to replace the figures of the lawyer and the jurist: “The challenge is to keep up with the times, updating knowledge and declining the technology at the service of professionalism, for better protection of our customers”.