Italians arrested for cyber-spying on top politicians

Image
AFP Rome
Last Updated : Jan 10 2017 | 10:02 PM IST
Italian police today announced the arrest of a London-resident nuclear engineer and his sister on suspicion of running a cyber snooping operation targeting politicians, public bodies and companies.
Police did not name the two suspects but Italian media cited charge sheets which identified them as Giulio Occhionero, 45, and his sister Francesca Maria Occhionero.
Reports described the pair as well known figures in Roman finance circles who lived in the Italian capital but were officially resident in London.
Media reports said politicians targeted by the pair included former premiers Matteo Renzi and Mario Montie and the current head of the European Central Bank (ECB) Mario Draghi.
The brother and sister were placed under investigation last year after a senior government official reported having been sent an email contained spy malware known as EyePyramid.
Prosecutors want them charged with illegally obtaining information related to state security, illegally accessing computer systems and illegal interception of online messages.
Data they collected was allegedly catalogued under two broad categories: BROS for snippets concerning individuals who were members of masonic orders, and POBU for politicians and business figures.
Police said the information trawling was carried out via a complex network of overseas-based companies but did not offer any theory of what the duo's objective might have been.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 10 2017 | 10:02 PM IST

Next Story