Hackers targeted the websites of the Italian Foreign Ministry and two airports in Milan on Dec. 28, Italy's cybersecurity agency (ACN) announced.
The pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16) claimed responsibility for the attacks on their Telegram channel.
Starting from 8 a.m. local time on Dec. 28, denial of service (DDoS) attacks disrupted the foreign ministry website and the sites of the Milan-Malpensa and Milan-Linate airports, ACN reported. The websites had to shut down temporarily amid the attacks.
The disruptions did not affect any flights, the agency said.
The cyberattacks against the airports "affected only the sites available to users, not the systems that regulate the flow of flights or even the apps or websites of the individual flight companies," according to ACN.
DDoS attacks direct excessive amounts of traffic at a website in order to overload its servers, often causing disruptions to service.
"Russophobes get a well-deserved cyber response," the hacker group NoName057(16) said in a Telegram post claiming responsibility for the attacks.
The Kyiv Independent could not confirm these claims.
Pro-Russian hackers have attacked multiple targets throughout Europe since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ACN said. Thse groups aim to "challenge Western countries' support for Ukraine."
Italy on Dec. 24 approved a decree extending military support to Ukraine through 2025. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took office in late 2022, has consistently supported Kyiv and pledged unwavering assistance until the war ends.
Volodymyr Ivanyshyn
(Updated: )
