The Vatican City State is the smallest country in the world, but it has a global influence as the headquarters of the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Vatican is exposed to various threats, and cyberterrorism is one of the most serious ones. Cyberterrorism is a terrorist act that steals or manipulates information through networks, and can shake the security and credibility of a country or organization. In this article, we will introduce the shocking incident of cyberterrorism targeting the Vatican.
The Vatican’s security is said to be the strongest
The Vatican City State is the smallest country in the world, but its security is said to be the strongest. The Vatican is home to high-ranking clergy and diplomats, such as the Pope and cardinals, and also has important facilities and cultural assets, such as the Holy See and St. Peter’s Basilica. Therefore, the Vatican requires a high level of security not only for physical security, but also for information security.
The Vatican’s physical security is carried out by the Swiss Guards and the Gendarmerie (police). The Swiss Guards are a traditional unit that has been guarding the Pope since 1506, and they wear splendid red and yellow uniforms, but they actually have state-of-the-art weapons and equipment. The Gendarmerie is a police organization directly under the Holy See, and about 130 police officers are responsible for maintaining public order and investigating crimes.
The Vatican’s information security is handled by a department called the Holy See Information Bureau (CIA). This department is a relatively new organization established in 1986, and about 30 experts are working on managing and defending networks and databases. The Vatican also receives cooperation from outside sources, such as introducing antivirus software in collaboration with Symantec Corporation in 2012.
A genius hacker broke through the advanced security
However, the Vatican’s security was not perfect. In 2015, it was revealed that a genius hacker had broken through the advanced security and infiltrated the Holy See. This hacker was an Italian who was active under the name of “Rex Mundi”. He called himself “God” and claimed to be “the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire”, among other delusional ideas.
Rex Mundi hacked into the Holy See’s network in March 2015 and stole important information, including secrets of Pope Francis. He published that information on his website and criticized the Pope and the Catholic Church. He also sent fake emails from the Holy See’s email address to cardinals and diplomats, causing confusion.
The hacker was arrested, but later hired by the Vatican
Rex Mundi’s actions were soon discovered by the Vatican’s Information Bureau, and an investigation was launched in cooperation with the Italian police. He was easily identified because he had posted his face photo and address on his website, and he was arrested in June 2015. He was convicted at trial and sentenced to two years in prison with a suspended sentence and a fine.
However, surprisingly, Rex Mundi was later hired by the Vatican. He regretted his crime and repented, and offered to cooperate with the Vatican’s Information Bureau. He taught the Vatican how he had entered and what weaknesses he had exploited, and contributed to improving security. He also developed new systems and software to protect the Vatican from cyberterrorism.
Cyberterrorism is still a threat to the Vatican
Rex Mundi’s incident was a shocking example of how the Vatican was targeted by cyberterrorism, but it was not the only one. In 2020, it was revealed that a Chinese state-sponsored hacker group had carried out cyberattacks targeting the Vatican and Catholic organizations in Hong Kong. This attack occurred before a historic interim agreement between China and the Vatican was renewed, and it was believed that China wanted to monitor the Vatican’s movements and attitude toward the Hong Kong issue.
Cyberterrorism will continue to be a major threat to the Vatican in the future. The Vatican has close relationships with believers and politicians around the world, and also holds a lot of confidential information and valuable cultural assets. Therefore, it is an easy target for cyberterrorists or state-sponsored hackers. The Vatican needs to constantly improve its own security to protect itself and its followers from cyberterrorism.
This is the end of the article about the shocking incident of cyberterrorism targeting the Vatican. The Vatican City State is the smallest country in the world, but its security is said to be the strongest. However, cyberterrorism is a terrifying threat that can break through that security. The Vatican must always be vigilant and take measures to protect itself and its followers from cyberterrorism.
