The digital ecosystem is undergoing a profound transformation. Artificial intelligence changes the way we search for and use information, the evolution of cyber threats imposes new defence strategies, while the European regulatory framework assigns increasingly specific responsibilities to those who manage essential infrastructures and services. Technologies change, but so do behaviours, the skills required and the value placed on one’s own online presence.
It is in this scenario that the content of the new issue of DOT takes shape, examining change from different perspectives and connecting trends in .it domain names, infrastructure security, the training of operators and the education of the new generations.
The starting point is the data. At the end of the second four-month period of 2026, registered .it domain names reached 3,623,902, representing an increase of 2.44% compared to the same period in 2025. The balance for the four months is also largely positive: new registrations exceed cancellations by more than 45 thousand units. Numbers that testify to the vitality of .it, but that also require looking beyond growth to understand how the transformations of the digital ecosystem are changing the role and value of domain names.
What does it mean today to choose a domain name and build an independent online presence? What value does enterprises, professionals, and users place on .it? And how are these perceptions changing in an environment where AI-based search engines and conversational systems redefine how online content is accessed?
The strategic research promoted by the Registro .it and entrusted to The Fool aims to answer these questions. The survey, which is dedicated to one of the issue’s insights, analyses the perception of domain names and the positioning of .it in relation to other extensions, involving the different actors in the supply chain and combining qualitative and quantitative research tools. The aim is to build a knowledge base to understand new behaviours, to identify priority targets and to guide future strategies for communication and positioning. In the new digital environment, the domain name continues to serve as a means of safeguarding one’s own online identity. It is a resource that enables businesses and professionals to build a recognisable and lasting presence, through an autonomous space in which to present themselves, provide services and develop relationships with their communities of reference. Understanding how this value is perceived today is a necessary step to interpret change without relying on assumptions but starting with data and testimonies.
Alongside the changes affecting the online presence, there is the other major topic covered by this issue: digital security. The NIS2 Directive strengthens the European cybersecurity framework and directly involves organisations responsible for essential services and infrastructure. This topic is particularly relevant in view of the deadline, scheduled for October 2026, by which those included in the NIS list in 2025 are required to have implemented the basic cybersecurity measures. In the interview with Andrea Passarella, Director of CNR-IIT and Head of the Registro .it, we address the transformations introduced by the legislation and their impact on a central infrastructure for the functioning of the Internet. The interview also deepens the path taken by the Registro .it in terms of organisation, technology and processes, the value of collaboration between the actors in the supply chain and the need to build a culture of security capable of accompanying the evolution of technologies.
Standards, research, innovation and skills will also be at the heart of the Cybersecurity Day, organised by CNR-IIT as part of Internet Festival 2026, in collaboration with Fondazione SERICS, Registro .it and Unione Industriale Pisana (Industrial Union of Pisa). The day brought together representatives of institutions, research, universities and businesses to explore some of the most current topics in the sector: from the evolution of the European regulatory framework to secure quantum communications, from new device authentication systems to the relationship between artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, to the opportunities and vulnerabilities linked to connected cars. An important part of the event was dedicated to training, because the ability to address digital risks does not depend only on the availability of advanced technologies. It requires well-trained people, informed organisations and programmes capable of transferring knowledge and turning it into concrete actions.
This need gave rise to ‘Train the Trainer’, a new project developed by the Ludoteca of Registro .it together with the CINI Cybersecurity National Lab. The project was presented during the afternoon session of Cybersecurity Day.
"Train the Trainer" was created to strengthen teachers’ skills and foster a shared culture of digital security. Conceived as a regional experiment in Tuscany, the project aims to develop a model that can be replicated in other school settings and, in the long term, on a national scale. The initiative will involve a first network of teachers from Tuscany in a 25-hour course, which will combine the contents curated by CINI with the experience of the Ludoteca in didactic methodologies and game-based learning. The aim is to provide teachers with knowledge, methodologies and tools to tackle cybersecurity issues in the classroom, integrating them into digital citizenship pathways and adapting them to the needs of students: the teacher is not only the target of the initiative but plays an active role in the dissemination of a shared culture of digital security.
The training also concerns accredited Registrars: the list of courses follows the technological, regulatory and organisational evolution of the sector, offering opportunities to update on the tools and processes of the Registro .it. The programme ranges from RDAP service for access to registration data to the accuracy principle and operational management through DARWIN, from quality management systems to the security of Linux systems, up to the use of Moodle for online training. These are different areas but linked by a common need: to develop skills capable of translating innovations, standards and technological tools into effective practices. The quality and security of the domain name ecosystem also depend on the ability of its operators to keep up-to-date and face changes that affect the entire supply chain.
Finally, a look at the European debate is offered by an in-depth study that draws on the main themes at the heart of the NIS2 revision process: the possible certification of the ‘cyber posture’ (the overall level of security) of the organisation, the harmonisation of technical requirements and the ‘report once’ principle, which aims to reduce the duplication of incident reporting requirements. The contents of this issue thus return a dynamic ecosystem, in which growth, innovation and security cannot be considered separately.
Understanding the impact of artificial intelligence, strengthening the resilience of infrastructure, supporting operators and investing in digital education are all part of the same strategy. For the Registro .it, interpreting the change means continuing to guarantee the quality and security of the service, but also observing the evolution of the Internet, producing knowledge, supporting its ecosystem and contributing to the dissemination of increasingly necessary skills. Because the digital future will depend not only on available technologies but on the ability to understand them, use them responsibly and govern their evolution.
To find out more, read the second issue of DOT – Domains, Opinions, Trends.
Enjoy the read!