The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, made public this Saturday that he has been the victim of an attack by cybercriminals who have released his and his family’s personal data on the so-called 'dark web'. As he explained, the attackers would also be trying to obtain new information within the framework of an offensive that he directly links to his support for Ukraine and to the measures promoted to strengthen cybersecurity in his department.
"For days now, cybercriminals have been disseminating my personal data on the 'dark web' and are seeking to obtain more information, effectively exposing me to new threats and intimidation," Tajani said in a social media post in which he asserted that the leaked data also involves his family, his "loved ones."
The head of Italian diplomacy indicated that those responsible for the cyberattack would even be willing to pay to obtain more data about him and his acquaintances. Even so, he made it clear that he does not intend to give in to pressure or change his stance. "I will not be intimidated in any way," he assured, reaffirming his determination to continue working to protect Italy and to strengthen "increasingly the bonds and collaboration" with his allies to protect themselves "together".
In his message, Tajani pointed out that his defense of the sovereignty, democracy, and independence of Ukraine is the "political reason" why he has been singled out as a target. He also associated this attack with the initiatives that his Ministry has launched in recent months to harden the information systems of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs against hostile incursions.
The Foreign Affairs minister emphasized that his portfolio already closely cooperates with allied countries to deal with this type of threat and insisted that he will not back down. "We will continue to defend our security and protect ourselves from cybercriminals," he concluded, convinced that this is an essential task for safeguarding Italian citizens and the security of the country.