Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday in a post on his X account that cybercriminals are distributing his personal data on the dark web and attempting to obtain additional information about him and his family.
“For several days now, cybercriminals have been spreading my personal data on the dark web and seeking other information, effectively exposing me to new threats and intimidation. They are also involving my family and are willing to pay for more details about me and my loved ones,” Tajani wrote. He stressed that he would not allow himself to be intimidated and would continue working to protect the ministry and the country while strengthening cooperation with allies.
The head of Italian diplomacy linked the attack to Italy’s position in support of Ukraine: “Our stance on Ukraine is the political reason why I have been targeted: openly defending the freedom, democracy and independence of a sovereign state has become dangerous in the eyes of these criminal entities.” According to him, the hackers’ actions are also a reaction to measures to strengthen the Foreign Ministry’s cybersecurity, where a special “cyber directorate” has been operating since January 1.
According to Italian media, the pro-Russian hacker group Noname057(16) is behind the publication. The data of Tajani, as well as Rome prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi and the head of the postal and cybercrime police Ivano Gabrielli, appeared on a list of 18 “citizens hostile to the Russian Federation” in a section of the dark web accessible via the Tor network. The profiles included phone numbers, email addresses and other information; the hackers offered to pay for additional details.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with Tajani and described attempts to sell confidential information about government officials as “a matter of serious concern” that must be addressed with the utmost determination.
