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Milan Prosecutors Seize Devices in Probe of Unauthorized Access to Magistrates’ Computers

Forensic tests will probe whether administrator credentials supplied under ministry IT contracts allowed improper reading of judges’ files.

Overview

  • The Procura di Milano, working with the national anti-mafia and anti-terror office, carried out domiciliary and electronic searches and seized devices as part of a criminal inquiry into alleged access to magistrates’ computers.
  • Investigators say the intrusions are concentrated in the Turin judicial district and that a ministry technician from that district is under formal investigation.
  • Preliminary findings indicate the breaches were carried out by exploiting administrator-level credentials that came from service contracts the Ministry of Justice had with third-party IT firms.
  • Forensic analyses of the seized equipment are ongoing and police digital forensics are examining logs and devices to establish who used the credentials and what data was accessed.
  • So far there is no evidence pointing to direct involvement by Ministry of Justice officials at Via Arenula and investigators stress searches were conducted with respect for defense guarantees.