European Cyber Security Month: Discover HaDEA’s projects on cybersecurity funded by the Digital Europe Programme

October is an important month for cybersecurity awareness across Europe, thanks to the European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) a campaign that seeks to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, encourage best practices, and provide resources for individuals and organisations to stay safe online.

The Digital Europe Programme (DEP) drives investment in strategic digital capacities, including cybersecurity. HaDEA, the European Health and Digital Executive Agency, plays a key role in administering these funds and ensuring that the projects contribute effectively to the EU's digital ambitions.  
Learn more about some of these projects: 

• The Romanian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) BIKRO2022 provides online safety information, educational resources, public awareness tools and counselling and reporting services (through the dedicated helpline ctrl_AJUTOR and hotline esc_ABUZ) for children, parents, teachers and other professionals working with children. The SIC launched an impactful awareness campaign titled "Don't Let the Burden of Cyberbullying Crush You" where influencers Bianca Adam and Edi Brandabura engaged in a live discussion about the impacts and effects of cyberbullying with a psychologist. Following the campaign, there was a noticeable uptick in the number of children reaching out to the project's helpline.
• The Austrian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) aims to enable the continuation and further development of the existing SIC, through a national platform running a range of Safer Internet services by providing an awareness centre (Saferinternet.at) that includes youth participation, a hotline (Stopline) and helpline services (Rat auf Draht). The SIC filmed and published a total of 14 videos for the video parenting guide "Frag Barbara!". In addition, a teachers’ handbook with the topic “Active against cyberbullying” was updated. 
• Cyberactioning is a 4-year project carried out by the universities of Granada, Minho, Padua and Vilnius, that aims to create a European cybersecurity training programme of reference, expanding and responding to the needs of the labour market not only for students in ICT fields, but also for non-ICT students in broad sectors. Furthermore, it aims to explore new learning methods aligned with the recent trends of pedagogical and syllabus structure research related to cybersecurity. 

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the EU's proactive stance on cybersecurity—through initiatives like ECSM and investments via the Digital Europe Programme—is essential for safeguarding both people and the economy from the growing threat of cyberattacks. These efforts ensure that Europe remains resilient, adaptable, and forward-looking in its approach to cybersecurity. To find out more about it follow ECMS and HaDEA - DEP and join their activities! 

Background 

The Digital Europe Programme aims to build the strategic digital capacities of the EU and to facilitate the wide deployment of digital technologies. With an overall budget of €7.5 billion, out of which €0.8 billion is managed by HaDEA, the programme will support investments in the following sectors: 

• High Performance Computing  

• Cloud, data and Artificial Intelligence  

• Cybersecurity  

• Advanced digital skills  

• Accelerating best use of technologies 

Launched in 2012, ECSM is an annual EU-led awareness campaign held every October, focusing on promoting the importance of cybersecurity to people and organisations alike. Each year, the initiative features two central themes aimed at covering different aspects of digital security. These themes are complemented by events, workshops, and training sessions across Europe.