Italy has begun defending against cyberattacks from Russia that targeted foreign ministry sites and some Milano Cortina Winter Olympics locations, a news report from the Associated Press said.
KEY FACTS
- Incident Cyberattacks targeted foreign ministry sites and some hotels in Cortina
- Origin Attacks described as of Russian origin
- Timing Mitigations put in place ahead of Milano Cortina opening on February 6
- Competitors Thirteen Russians to compete as independents without the Russian flag
The attacks struck some of the government’s foreign offices including the office in Washington and affected certain Winter Olympics sites and hotels in Cortina.
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, is the official named in the report.
The account describes the activity as “of Russian origin” while providing no clear indication of state backing or technical details on the methods used.
Authorities prevented a series of attacks against foreign ministry sites starting with Washington and applied mitigations ahead of the Games to limit disruption.
WHY IT MATTERS
Cyberattacks against Olympic infrastructure can disrupt operations and undermine confidence in event security. Early detection and mitigation limited immediate harm, but details on attribution and technical impact remain limited.