Pro-Russia Hackers Attack Italian Bank and Airport Websites Related to Ukraine War Comments

• Pro-Russia hacker group Noname057(16) was linked to cyberattacks on 20 Italian websites in transport and financial sectors.
• Among the targets are several prominent banks in Italy and the Linate and Malpensa airports.
• The security incident was a result of President Sergio Mattarella comparing Russia’s war to the expansionism of Nazi Germany before World War II earlier this month. 

Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) confirmed on Monday that pro-Russia hacker group Noname057(16) targeted the websites of several Italian organizations, including banks and airports, in response to recent political tensions between Rome and Moscow. 

The attackers targeted approximately 20 websites, including those of major banks such as Intesa Sanpaolo, Banca Monte dei Paschi, and Iccrea Banca and the websites of Milan's Linate and Malpensa airports.

The attacks, which were carried out by the hacking collective Noname057(16), reportedly did not cause major operational disruptions, a Reuters report said. The cybersecurity agency stated that while the attacks were disruptive, they did not result in significant damage or prolonged downtime.

Intesa Sanpaolo and SEA, the management company for Milan's airports, declined to comment on the incident. Iccrea Banca confirmed that its services remained undisturbed, and Banca Monte dei Paschi has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the attack.

ACN linked the incidents to remarks made by Italian President Sergio Mattarella earlier this month. Mattarella had likened Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine to the expansionism of Nazi Germany prior to World War II, a comment that Moscow strongly criticized. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, however, defended Mattarella’s statements, capturing international attention. Noname057(16) confirmed this hypothesis, citing Mattarella’s remarks as the primary motivator for their actions and calling Mattarella "Russophobic." 

The attack follows a December incident where the same group claimed responsibility for targeting approximately ten institutional websites in Italy. This pattern of behavior highlights how geopolitical tensions are increasingly translating into cyber threats.

Noname057(16) is a known pro-Russia hacking collective that frequently engages in politically motivated cyberattacks targeting pro-Ukraine countries and Ukraine, predominantly employing distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. While their methods rarely cause lasting damage, they effectively create temporary disruptions and draw attention to their agenda.

The incident comes amid a broader trend of politically motivated cyber activity tied to Russia's war on Ukraine. Pro-Russian hackers have increasingly targeted countries that maintain strong support for Ukraine, using cyberattacks as a means of retaliation and symbolic protest.

For Italy, this attack calls for a renewed focus on cyber resilience as it continues to position itself as a vocal opponent of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. 

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