Feb 18 • 17:20 UTC 🇮🇹 Italy Il Giornale

Identity stolen from 5,000 Digos agents: the strange blitz by Chinese hackers

The Italian Ministry of Interior has suffered multiple breaches attributed to Chinese hackers, compromising sensitive data of around 5,000 Digos agents.

Between 2024 and 2025, the Italian Ministry of Interior's network reportedly faced multiple breaches from a group of hackers connected to China, aimed at stealing data from about 5,000 Digos agents. This incident has been characterized by experts as an intelligence acquisition operation. The breached databases contain sensitive information, including names, roles, and operational locations of investigators involved in critical issues such as anti-terrorism, oversight of foreign communities, organized crime monitoring, and activities related to tracking Chinese dissidents in Italy. Such a strategic information asset could potentially create a comprehensive profile of Italy's internal security landscape.

The full extent of the breach was reconstructed by the newspaper La Repubblica. The intrusions allowed for the downloading of classified personnel data from police headquarters across the country, raising significant concerns about the security measures in place to protect sensitive information. With the identity of thousands of agents compromised, the repercussions could be far-reaching, threatening not only the safety of the agents but also the effectiveness of ongoing investigations they are involved in.

This incident highlights the growing threat posed by cyber-attacks on national security infrastructures and the need for improved cybersecurity strategies. As Italy reassesses its cybersecurity protocols, especially in light of international espionage risks, this breach serves as a wake-up call to reinforce defenses against increasingly sophisticated and targeted hacking attempts from state-sponsored groups.

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