Italian Minister Condemns Firm’s Illegal Exploitation of Government Data

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani recently denounced a data privacy breach involving the private investigation firm Equalize, which prosecutors in Milan allege illegally accessed government databases to create unauthorized dossiers on hundreds of thousands of people. Prosecutors claim Equalize’s actions represent a “threat to democracy,” with accusations that the firm accessed sensitive data from police records, financial activity, and tax databases to compile dossiers used potentially for economic or political advantage.

Four individuals are under house arrest, including former police official Carmine Gallo, who allegedly led the operation. Investigators uncovered an archive of paper records and IT equipment in a secret garage, and a server based in Lithuania, linked to the firm’s activities. Prosecutors report that from 2019 to early 2023, Equalize accessed government data systems, obtaining information on approximately 800,000 people.

One of the arrested, Nunzio Samuele Calamucci, is believed to have built the “Beyond” database, ensuring access to sensitive government information. Allegedly using the alias “Sem” and suspected of connections with hacking collective Anonymous, Calamucci reportedly amassed 15 terabytes of unlawfully gathered data. Authorities suggest this data may have been used to blackmail business figures and political leaders, including former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Senate President Ignazio La Russa.

This scandal has led opposition members to call for a parliamentary investigation to determine whether any government officials were involved. The case follows closely on the heels of another breach involving Italy’s largest bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, where an employee was accused of unauthorized access to sensitive data, including information on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her family.

Source: BankInfoSecurity

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