Milan Airports and Government Websites Hit in Wave of DDoS Attacks
On Saturday, December 29th, 2024, a series of sophisticated cyberattacks targeted several prominent Italian websites, causing temporary outages. The attacks, confirmed as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, affected critical infrastructure and government entities, highlighting the growing threat of state-sponsored cyber warfare. The pro-Russian hacker group, NoName057, claimed responsibility for the attacks, escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The NoName057 Cyber Offensive: Targeting Italian Infrastructure
The most significant targets included Milan’s two major airports, Malpensa and Linate, whose websites were temporarily taken offline. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also fell victim to the DDoS assault, further emphasizing the coordinated nature of the attack. Other websites affected included those of Siena Mobilità, GTT (Gruppo Trasporti Torino), and Federtrasporto. While some sites, like those of GTT and Federtrasporto, remained partially operational, users experienced disruptions, particularly in accessing real-time arrival and departure information.
The timing of the attack on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website is particularly noteworthy.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated, “The attack on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website began immediately after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed at Ciampino Airport. It is the third attack in three days by hackers targeting the ministry,” He unequivocally assessed the attack as “certainly of Russian origin.”
This assertion aligns with the claim of responsibility made by the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057 on Telegram. Their statement, “Italian Russophobes receive a deserved cyber response,” clearly positions the attacks as retaliation for perceived Italian hostility towards Russia and its actions in Ukraine. This statement was reported by multiple Italian news outlets, including Il Fatto Quotidiano.
Technical Details of the DDoS Attacks
The DDoS attacks, as confirmed by Italy’s cybersecurity agency, involved overwhelming the targeted websites with an exceptionally high volume of data traffic, rendering them temporarily inaccessible. However, the agency’s swift response effectively mitigated the impact, restoring services within less than two hours.
Despite the website outages, airport operations at Malpensa and Linate continued without interruption, and travelers could still utilize mobile applications for essential services. A spokesperson for SEA (Società Esercizi Aeroportuali), which manages the Milan airports, reassured the public that flight operations remained unaffected. This was reported in Il Messaggero.
The Italian authorities, including the postal police, are actively investigating the attacks.
Ivano Gabrielli, director of Italy’s postal police, confirmed, “We have been registering attacks of this type on various infrastructures and ministerial sites for three days,” linking the incidents to groups supporting the Russian war effort in Ukraine.
This was reported by CNN. Marco Valerio Cervellini, a spokesperson for the cybersecurity police, further elaborated on LinkedIn, stating that NoName057, known for targeting public institutions and strategic sectors in NATO countries, is escalating digital tensions due to these countries’ support for Ukraine. This was also reported by RTBF. The National Cybercrime Center for the Protection of Critical Infrastructures of the Postal Police is actively assisting affected organizations and working to prevent future incidents.
Implications and Future Outlook
The cyberattacks by the pro-Russian hackers NoName057 underscore the escalating use of cyber warfare as a tool in geopolitical conflicts. The targeting of critical infrastructure, such as airports and government websites, highlights the vulnerability of even advanced nations to sophisticated cyber threats.
The swift response by the Italian cybersecurity agency demonstrates the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and international cooperation in countering such attacks. The ongoing investigation and the international condemnation of these actions will likely shape future cybersecurity strategies and international relations. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for continuous vigilance and proactive defense against state-sponsored cyberattacks.
