The news recently published by several Italian media organisations on the hacker attacks on the computers of the Foreign Ministry refer to long-past and well-known events.
We hereby again specify that those hacking attempts exclusively involved non-encrypted information and communication systems. Therefore, no secret information has been taken from the Foreign Ministry. The sensitive information of the Italian diplomatic network, including the Permanent Representation of Italy to the European Union, is transmitted on highly secure communication systems with encrypted access codes, which result to be completely intact and unbroken.
Generally speaking, the cyberattack against the Foreign Ministry is a clear indicator of the importance of enhancing cybersecurity standards in our Country, both in the public and private sector. Cybersecurity is one of the Government’s priority commitments in the light of which, in order to meet the growing need of cybersecurity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has constantly reinforced its non-encrypted messaging system.
Over the last few months, the competent judicial authorities, with all the possible assistance from the Foreign Ministry’s IT experts, have been conducting an investigation on these facts to ascertain the existence of any possible criminal offence. Once the Prosecutor’s Office closes its investigation, which is still bound to confidentiality, it will be possible to correctly evaluate what initiatives to undertake in the future.