Milano Cortina 2026 cyberattacks – Italy blames Russia

Italy says it blocked Russian-linked cyberattacks targeting Olympic Winter Games infrastructure.

Italy says Russian-linked cyberattack hit Olympic Winter Games

Cyberattacks “of Russian origin” have already targeted Milano Cortina 2026 infrastructure, with attempted disruptions tied to government systems and Olympic-related networks, Italian officials said.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the activity included foreign ministry portals and touched Olympics-adjacent services in Cortina.

While he did not publicly detail the malware or modus operandi nor clarify whether the activity appears state-directed or driven by aligned groups, the timing puts Olympic cybersecurity on high alert.

Winter Olympics cybersecurity faces DDoS and hacktivist pressure

Major sporting events are prime targets because they combine global attention with sprawling vendor ecosystems, including ticketing, transport, hospitality and official web properties. Recent reports link the attempted disruptions to pro-Russia hacktivist-style operations, including denial-of-service (DoS) tactics aimed at knocking services offline.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has also warned against underestimating state-aligned hacktivists that focus on disruptions over stealth. This is exactly the kind of tactics meant to rattle public trust during live, high-audience events.

Cloudflare-Italy dispute raises questions about defensive capacity

Separately, a regulatory clash is adding friction to the security picture. Italy’s communications regulator fined Cloudflare over anti-piracy compliance tied to its DNS and related services, prompting the company’s CEO to publicly threaten to pull infrastructure and withdraw free protections for the Games.

For Olympic organizers, the concern is less about attribution and more about resilience. Large-scale sporting events depend on uninterrupted digital services ranging from accreditation services to transport coordination and public-facing platforms.

With early competitions already underway and geopolitical tensions looming, Italy’s ability to maintain cyber resilience throughout the games may prove as crucial as physical security on the event grounds.