A major data breach has potentially exposed the inner workings of Italy’s controversial anti-piracy system known as Privacy Shield. According to reports circulating online, the source code, data models, storage systems, APIs, and even internal documentation for the platform have been leaked on GitHub.
The leaked repositories, spanning nine different uploads, allegedly contain the entire front-end, back-end, and infrastructure details of Privacy Shield. Developed by SP Tech Legal on behalf of AGCOM, Italy’s communications authority, Privacy Shield has drawn intense criticism for its heavy-handed approach to combating online piracy.
The anonymous individual who posted the leaked data did not mince words, stating: “Piracy Shield, a platform developed by SP Tech Legal for AGCOM, is not just a failed attempt to combat online piracy, but it’s also a dangerous gateway to censorship.”
The README is accusing the platform of indiscriminately blocking legitimate websites and IP addresses under the guise of copyright enforcement. It warns that granting authorities such broad powers to censor online content poses an “immense danger” to freedom of expression and access to information.
At the time of this report, neither SP Tech Legal nor AGCOM has issued any statements regarding the supposed data breach or its potential ramifications.
