Cyber Skirmish: Pro-Russian Hackers Target Italian Government

Pro-Russian hacker group NoName57 attacked Italian government websites in retaliation for President Sergio Mattarella's speech likening Russia's actions in Ukraine to Nazi conquests. Though sporadic, the cyber assaults disrupted sites of key ministries and law enforcement. Previous attacks on Italian infrastructure were less impactful.

A pro-Russian hacker group, NoName57, launched a cyberattack on Italian government websites, reacting to a controversial speech by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The attack primarily affected the websites of the defense, interior, and transport ministries, with access remaining intermittent.

Earlier, the group claimed responsibility for hacking attempts on Italian banks, ports, airports, and local transport without causing significant disruption. The attacks came after Mattarella, speaking on February 5 in Marseille, equated Russia's actions in Ukraine to the 'wars of conquest' led by Nazi Germany.

Despite the hacker group’s cyber offensives, there has been no official comment from Mattarella’s office. Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, expressed disappointment over Mattarella’s comparison.