Italian foreign minister's personal data leaked on dark web as PM blames pro-Russian hackers

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said his personal data has been disseminated on the dark web, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni blaming pro-Russian hackers for the leak.

Tajani announced in a social media post on Saturday that "for days now, cybercriminals have been publishing my personal data on the dark web and seeking further information, effectively exposing me to new threats and intimidation".

Tajani is also Italy's deputy prime minister. He said the hackers are also targeting his family and are willing to pay for more details about him and his loved ones.

In his post on X, he added: "My response is very simple: I will not be intimidated in any way."

The threats against Tajani come amid a spate of hoax bomb threats across Europe that have forced flight diversions, security alerts at broadcasters, and attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems.

Meloni expressed solidarity with Tajani, referring to "the activities of pro-Russian hackers, and the publication on the dark web of personal data". She called attempts to sell confidential information about government officials "a matter of grave concern that must be addressed with the utmost determination".

Tajani added in his statement that Italy's position on Ukraine is the political reason he has been targeted. He said: "Defending the freedom of a sovereign state, taking a clear stand in support of a nation's democracy and independence, is dangerous in the eyes of these criminal entities."

He also suggested that the cyber threats may be a reaction to the Italian government's efforts to strengthen the Foreign Ministry's digital defences.

Tajani did not specify what kind of information had been shared, but suggested that the cyber threat was ongoing.

He added that the ministry was taking the threats seriously and was coordinating its response with allied countries.