Today, as the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games officially kick off at the San Siro Stadium, the focus isn’t just on the slopes or the skating rinks. Behind the scenes, Italy is managing a digital “front line” that is just as cold and calculated as the Alpine winter.
The Digital Blizzard: 120 Targets in 48 Hours
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that Italian cybersecurity forces successfully neutralized a massive wave of coordinated attacks. Strikers that aren’t just “random” noise, they are a surgical attempt to disrupt the nation’s infrastructure during its most visible moment.
An attempt to distribute for disrupting:
- Governmental: The Italian Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Washington.
- The Olympic Ecosystem: Official ticketing platforms and information portals.
- Regional Hospitality: Hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a location that is hosting athletes and international delegations.
Unlike the usual website crashes, a more chilling tactic emerged this time. Attempts focused on breaching IoT (Internet of Things) infrastructure.
By targeting CCTV and video surveillance, attackers aimed to create a “panopticon” effect, leaking screenshots to prove they could “watch” the Olympic zones from the inside!
Who is NoName057(16)?
Italian officials have explicitly linked this activity to Russian sources, specifically the hacktivist collective NoName057(16). This cyber group is not new, they’ve been a thorn in the side of European infrastructure since 2022, but their methods are evolving. As we are experience this time.
On their Telegram channels, the group didn’t mince words: “These attacks are punishment for Italy’s continued military and political support for Ukraine!” The Weapon of Choice: DDoSIA NoName057(16) uses a proprietary tool called DDoSIA.
For the non-technical, a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack is essentially a digital traffic jam.
Using a vast network of compromised systems (botnets), they flood a server with so much traffic that it simply gives up, rendering services unavailable to legitimate users.
What makes NoName057(16) different is their crowdsourced model. They run a “volunteer” project where users can download their software to join the attack in exchange for cryptocurrency rewards. It’s a gamified version of cyber-warfare.
Italy’s Response
Proactivity, Italy has established a dedicated 24-hour cybersecurity control room (SOIO) in Rome, coordinating directly with the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN).
This “war room” approach ensures that digital threats are treated with the same urgency as physical ones.
For those attending or following the games, the advice remains clear:
- Avoid “Free” Wi-Fi: Public networks near venues are prime hunting grounds for data interception. Use a VPN or cellular data is highly advised.
- Verify Your Source: AI-generated “last-minute” ticket scams are flooding social media. If the price looks too good to be true, it’s a trap. Be careful!
- Always Use Official Apps: Third-party “Olympic guides” are often wrappers for malware. If it isn’t from the official Milano-Cortina organizers, don’t download it.
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Games are a testament to human resilience and athletic excellence, but they also highlight a modern reality: Security in our era is more than fences and metal detectors; it’s code and connectivity.
As the torch is lit today, Italy’s digital defenders are proving that being “Olympic Ready” means being resilient against every type of storm. Preparing the public is part of our, and everyone’s responsibility!