This Open Call, launched under the CYSSDE project, aims to strengthen European cybersecurity preparedness by supporting penetration testing organizations in conducting vulnerability assessments for Essential Service Operators and SMEs. This initiative aligns with the Digital Europe Programme, enhancing capacity building and compliance with the NIS2 directive.

By enabling penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, this call will contribute to risk mitigation, cybersecurity resilience, and improved threat detection across critical infrastructure and essential services. The selected entities will receive financial support and tailored assistance to expand their capabilities, integrate new security tools, and develop specialized skills.

Relevant topics include:

• Real-time cybersecurity monitoring and incident response
• Penetration testing for critical infrastructure and essential services
• Automated vulnerability detection and mitigation
• Security testing for IoT, OT, and AI-powered systems
• Development of advanced cybersecurity testing tools and frameworks
• Risk assessment and intelligence-sharing mechanisms

Eligibility criteria

• Open to SMEs, mid-caps, large companies, research centers, and public bodies from EU Member States.
• Applicants can apply individually or as part of a consortium of up to two entities.

Funding

• Up to 10 penetration testing organizations will be selected.
• Each selected entity may receive up to €200,000, with a 50% co-funding rate.
• Up to 18 months of tailored support to conduct at least 10 penetration tests and vulnerability assessments.
• A minimum of 25% of the total budget is reserved for SMEs.

Please follow this link for more information on the scope of the call and the procedural requirements for the applications.

The deadline for application is 07 April 2025, 17:00 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time)