Pro-Russian hackers leak Italian foreign minister's personal data

Italian authorities said they have identified pro-Russian hacking groups as responsible for compromising sensitive personal information belonging to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, with the stolen data subsequently appearing on underground online forums.

Prime Minister Meloni said the breach represents an escalating cyber threat directed at Italy's government infrastructure. She characterized the incident as part of a broader pattern of hostile digital operations linked to Russian state-aligned actors.

Tajani confirmed that his ministry had been monitoring ongoing cybersecurity threats and acknowledged the breach as part of wider campaigns targeting diplomatic officials and state institutions. Italian cybersecurity agencies have launched an investigation into the incident and the scope of compromised data.

The breach underscores growing concerns among European NATO members regarding Russian-linked cyber operations targeting government networks and senior officials. Italy, as a G7 member and NATO ally, has previously reported elevated cyber activity originating from Russia-associated threat actors.