Pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16) targets Italian Foreign Ministry website

On October 8, 2026, the website of the Italian Foreign Ministry, known as the Farnesina, was targeted by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack. The attack was successfully mitigated by security systems without causing service disruptions. While Italian news agencies attributed the attack to the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16), the ministry did not officially name suspects. In response, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani highlighted ongoing cybersecurity reforms and announced plans to work with Romania and other EU states to propose designating cyberattack perpetrators.

The cyberattack and immediate response

• ▪The cyberattack against the Italian Foreign Ministry website on October 8, 2026, was effectively mitigated by security systems without causing any disruption to services.
• ▪The website of the Italian Foreign Ministry, known as the Farnesina, was targeted by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) cyberattack on October 8, 2026.
• ▪Italian authorities initiated checks on October 8, 2026, to determine if similar cyberattacks had been attempted against the websites of Italian diplomatic and consular missions abroad.
• ▪Italy's cybercrime police responded to the cyberattack on October 8, 2026, while the Italian Foreign Ministry monitored the situation alongside the National Strategic Hub.

Suspects behind the cyberattack

• ▪Italian news agencies reported on October 8, 2026, that the cyberattack on the Italian Foreign Ministry website was believed to have been carried out by the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16).
• ▪The Italian Foreign Ministry did not officially name any suspects in its statement regarding the October 8, 2026 cyberattack.

Collaboration on joint European proposals

• ▪Italy decided to collaborate with Romania and other European Union member states to put forward joint proposals at upcoming European meetings.
• ▪The joint proposals by Italy and Romania seek to designate those responsible for cyberattacks, including those targeting Italian institutions.

Debatable claims

• ▪DDoS attacks on government websites pose a significant threat to national security
• ▪Publicly naming foreign hacker groups is an effective deterrent against state-aligned cyber warfare