ITALY’S Foreign Ministry says its website is currently under attack, with its protection systems mitigating the incident so far and no disruption reported. The ministry is monitoring the situation alongside the Polo Strategico Nazionale, the national cloud hub, and other competent authorities. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani framed the response as part of a broader push to strengthen cyber capabilities and to seek EU action to identify attackers, including those targeting Italian institutions.
Officials indicated embassy and consulate websites are being checked for similar attempts, stressing that attribution remains unclear at this stage.
The piece connects the incident to a familiar pattern of activity by NoName057(16), a pro-Russian hacktivist group known for DDoS campaigns and other disruptions. The article notes that Italy has previously faced attacks on its ministries and embassies, including an instance in December 2024 when the Farnesina website went offline but was restored quickly.
While DDoS attacks can disrupt access and create high visibility, the piece cautions that such operations often do not involve data theft or deep intrusions, suggesting that the longer-term risk depends on whether attackers are using the outage to distract defenders or mask more sophisticated actions elsewhere. The ministry’s approach includes stronger technical safeguards and pursuing proposals at EU level to designate responsible actors for cyberattacks.