Lucrezia Ciotti Pro-Russian hackers from “ Noname057(16) ” are targeting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani , spreading personal information on the dark web that also concerns his family. The group is also said to have put a bounty on the data of several Italian and foreign institutional figures. According to Tajani, there is a specific political reason behind the intimidation: the Italian government's support for Ukraine.
Pro-Russian hackers leak Antonio Tajani's personal information: the minister is under fire for his stance on Ukraine.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has ended up in the sights of pro-Russian hackers from the group “ Noname057(16) ”, who are said to have published personal information about the deputy prime minister on the dark web and launched a paid search to obtain further details about him and his family.
This incident raises new questions about the cybersecurity of Italian institutions and the data protection of public figures.
The Foreign Ministry head himself spoke about it in a message published on X, in which he identified a specific political motivation behind the attacks: Italy's support for Ukraine. " Our position on Ukraine is the political reason why I was targeted ," he declared, explaining that for these criminal organizations, defending " the freedom of a sovereign state " and advocating for democracy and the independence of a nation would constitute grounds for hostility.
Tajani then reiterated that he has no intention of allowing himself to be influenced by intimidation: " I will not be intimidated in any way. I will continue to work to defend my ministry and Italy, and I will further strengthen ties and collaboration with our allies to protect us together ." The Deputy Prime Minister also suggested a connection between the hackers' efforts and the strengthening of the Farnesina's cyber defenses, noting that a dedicated cyber directorate has been operational since January 1st to protect the ministry from digital attacks.
Data from family members and other institutional representatives: Giorgia Meloni's solidarity
The affair , initially reported by Il Fatto Quotidiano , apparently involves more than just the head of Italian diplomacy. Among those targeted are Tajani's family members, Rome prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi, and Ivano Gabrielli, head of the Postal Police. The information was reportedly organized into files containing CVs, publicly available information, private telephone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses. The group also reportedly demanded money in exchange for further personal information, thus raising fears for the safety of those involved.
The activity of “Noname057(16)”, considered to be close to the Russian military secret service GRU, is said to have begun at least on October 26: from that date the hackers are said to have placed a sort of bounty on the sensitive data of 18 people considered hostile to the Russian Federation. The Italian list also includes , in addition to Tajani, Lo Voi and Gabrielli , Paolo Tassan-Zanin , mayor of Aviano, a municipality in the province of Pordenone which hosts a US military air base. Among the foreign names are Michael Schmid, president of Eurojust, the German magistrate Benjamin Krause, Holger Münch, head of the German criminal police, and the investigative journalist Michael Alexander Martens, wanted by Moscow.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also addressed the matter , expressing her support for the Deputy Prime Minister and condemning the dissemination of confidential information regarding institutional representatives. " The sale of confidential information on institutional representatives is of great concern and must be addressed with the utmost determination ," she stated in a statement. The Prime Minister also drew attention to the circulation of manipulated images and misleading content, some of which was shared by opposition figures: " Freedom of expression can never become a breeding ground for disinformation ." This reference comes after the controversy sparked by a post by Democratic Party President Stefano Bonaccini, later removed, showing Tajani wearing a red Maga hat.