Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said that his personal information was published on the dark web by hackers he believes are linked to Russia, alleging that the incident was aimed at targeting him over Rome’s support for Ukraine Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said that his personal information was published on the dark web by hackers he believes are linked to Russia, alleging that the incident was aimed at targeting him over Rome’s support for Ukraine.Tajani, who is also Italy’s deputy prime minister, said on Saturday that the hackers had sought further details about him and his family and were even willing to pay to obtain the information.He linked the incident to Italy’s backing of Ukraine in its war with Russia and the government’s efforts to improve cybersecurity.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with Tajani, describing the sale of confidential information about public officials as a matter of serious concern. Meloni has been among the strongest supporters of Ukraine among Western leaders.
Moscow has not commented on the allegations. Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in cyberattacks and hacking operations targeting other countries.Tajani’s details listed among ‘citizens hostile to Russia’In a post on X, Tajani said that openly supporting the freedom and independence of a sovereign country had made him a target.He added that the hackers’ actions were also a response to the Italian foreign ministry’s efforts to strengthen its cybersecurity systems.Screenshots reviewed by Reuters showed Tajani’s photograph among a list of 18 people described as “citizens hostile to the Russian Federation”. The list also reportedly included cybersecurity specialists.More from WorldA person close to the foreign minister told Reuters that the material was discovered in a section of the dark web accessible through the Tor network. The information was identified during monitoring activities conducted by Italy’s cybersecurity authorities.The person said further investigations were under way to establish the details of the incident.The allegations come amid growing concerns among European governments about cyber operations and other forms of interference linked to the wider geopolitical tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Italy seeks coordinated G7 response to cyberattacksTajani has also called for a coordinated response from Western countries.In a letter to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, he urged G7 members to discuss hybrid warfare and recent cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure in Europe.
He wants the issue included on the agenda of next week’s meeting of G7 foreign ministers, where countries could discuss ways to strengthen cooperation against such threats.Rome is seeking greater coordination among its partners as concerns grow over the potential targeting of public officials, government systems and essential infrastructure.The latest incident also brings renewed attention to the risks faced by European officials who have taken a prominent position in supporting Ukraine.
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