Hacker attacks by the NoName group against Italian consulates and hotels in Ampezzo three days after the inauguration. Tajani: «Anticipated and blocked»
Three days before the inauguration of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the group of hackers NoName launched a coordinated attack against hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Italian consulates around the world. The idea was to crash the computer systems just as Italy was preparing to welcome the athletes and the entire world. But the move, according to the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajanihad already been sniffed out.
“We anticipated a hacker attack on a series of offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, starting with Washington, and also on some sites in Milan-Cortina, with the hotels in Cortina”, declared Tajani from Washington. «This is also thanks to the work that our new General Directorate of Security has done with the reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We anticipated an attack because this action was being prepared, therefore cyber security also becomes fundamental. I am very satisfied with this.”
Hotels and consulates in the crosshairs
The attack began on the morning of February 4th with a barrage of DDoS raids (programs that saturate computer systems by filling them with data from pirated computers around the world) against some of the most famous hotels in Cortina: Hotel de la Poste, Victoria, Ambra and Franceschi Park. At the same time, the Italian consulates in Paris, London, Washington, Sydney and Toronto were hit. An operational inconvenience for those who manage these systems, but fortunately no loss of sensitive data.
The claim arrived promptly with the image of theRussian bearhallmark of the NoName group. In the message, the hackers explained the reasons for the attack in detail: «In February 2026, Italy continues to support Ukraine, maintaining the pro-Ukrainian and pro-Atlantic line of the Meloni government, despite disagreements within the coalition. At the end of 2025, military aid supplies were extended until 2026, as confirmed by Parliament in January. The total amount of support since 2022 has exceeded three billion euros and includes weapons, air defense, equipment and training. The pro-Ukrainian line of the Italian government leads to the fact that support for Ukrainian terrorists is punishable with our DDoS missiles on websites.”
The Technology Operations Centre
The postal police moved immediately with specialists to combat cyber threats. But in reality it was already ready. It has been operational since January 26th in fact a cyber security device that protects the main sites linked to the Olympicsensuring continuous control to prevent public order and terrorist threats.
The heart of the operations is the Technology Operations Center (Toc), active 24 hours a day. Experts work here Cnaipicdel Cert and of Operations Center for Cyber Security Lombardyready to identify anomalies and intervene in the event of IT incidents. The device also involves the Operational Centers for Cyber Security (COSC) and the emergency response structures, with specialists present in the Joint Operations Rooms of Sondrio, Belluno, Milan and Trento.
How Italy protects itself
The Post Office also works in close collaboration with the police headquarters in Milan, Belluno, Trento and Bolzano. Osint (Open Source Intelligence) operators present in the Operations Rooms monitor the network and collect strategic information to support public order activities throughout the duration of the Games. All operations, both in the SOI and at the TOC, are coordinated centrally by Cnaipic.
An integrated system that guarantees constant protection of digital infrastructures and effective operational supervision over the entire Olympic area. The Russian Bear tried to strike, but this time Italy responded before the attack even landed. And now it is ready to protect the Games until the last ceremony.
