#SecureCommunications: Why Data Sovereignty Is No Longer Optional

For years, digital convenience, cost-efficiency, and speed have often taken priority over data sovereignty. But in today’s geopolitical climate—where digital infrastructure is inseparable from national security—relying on foreign cloud platforms can come at a high cost.

A growing number of recent incidents reveal how vulnerable even the most sensitive communications are when stored or processed outside of sovereign control. 

When your data isn’t really your own

In July 2025, multiple reports highlighted that Microsoft cannot guarantee the protection of EU data from U.S. access, despite being one of the most widely used cloud providers among European public institutions. The issue? U.S. laws like the CLOUD Act may compel American companies to hand over data—even if it’s stored in the EU.

And that’s not the only concern.

Around the same time, a critical vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint made headlines after it was exploited by attackers. The breach highlighted the real risks of relying on communication platforms and productivity tools not designed with sovereign control or high-security use cases in mind.

These examples show that when sensitive communications and documents are managed by third-party platforms subject to foreign jurisdiction, data control becomes theoretical and not practical.

Italy offers a concrete example of how this risk is being addressed at a national level.

As highlighted by Il Sole 24 Ore in its analysis of the rapidly growing Italian cloud market, driven by artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty - Italy has taken a strategic approach to keeping sensitive data under sovereign control.

Polo Strategico Nazionale (PSN), a company owned by TIM (45%), Leonardo, CDP Equity and Sogei, represents one of the first European examples of a sovereign cloud. Set up in 2022, it allows public administrations to manage their data protection autonomously and exclusively.

The infrastructure guarantees security at the highest level, in accordance with the regulations of the ACN (National Cybersecurity Agency) and the relevant International Standards. Sensitive information is stored nationwide in TIM Enterprise Data Centres and all data processed, whether through proprietary infrastructure or through Cloud Service Providers, is protected by advanced encryption systems and National Public Region securitisation procedures.

Italy has also invested heavily in sovereign computing power.

Leonardo, the Italian supercomputer located at the CINECA research centre in Bologna, currently ranks 9th on the global Top500 list. With computing power exceeding 250 petaflops, Leonardo plays a critical role in AI research, climate modelling, drug discovery and industrial innovation.

Leonardo’s computational power has supported major AI breakthroughs, including contributions to the development of Mistral 7B, one of the most widely adopted open-source large language models released in 2023. Since its launch, Leonardo has been used for scientific research, AI training and industrial applications across both public and private sectors.

Looking ahead, Leonardo’s capabilities are set to expand further through the Leonardo Improved Supercomputing Architecture (LISA) project. This upgrade will introduce an AI-optimised partition designed to better support large language models and multimodal generative AI.

Backed by a EUR 28 million investment from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU), the upgrade will expand Leonardo’s capacity and strengthen Europe’s sovereign AI ecosystem.

The gap between control and compliance

Even when organizations meet formal compliance requirements, the lack of full control over infrastructure, cryptographic keys, and access policies leaves room for exposure.

That’s a problem not just for companies, but also for governments, defense actors, and critical infrastructure operators who cannot afford these weaknesses. True data sovereignty means owning your data, your infrastructure, and your communication channels.

At SSH Communications Security, we developed SalaX Secure Messaging specifically for sectors where data control and operational security are non-negotiable. SalaX is an end-to-end encrypted, real-time communication platform designed to meet today’s sovereignty and security demands.

SalaX Secure Messaging provides: 

• End-to-end encryption with strong identity– Know exactly who you’re talking to. Every time.
• Deployment flexibility – Host it on-premises or in a cloud with full ownership.

Try SalaX Secure Messaging for free! 

We are now offering you a chance to try out the SalaX Secure Messaging for free for 3 months - No hidden fees, no requirements to continue as a customer. 

Trry SalaX Secure Messaging for free for 90 days. Start your free trial >>>