Drones, satellites, spy software … How the Vatican intends to protect the secrets of the conclave
It feels like a spy film. While the election of a new pope will open on May 7, the Vatican fears that the secret of the conclave is pierced up to date. Drones, satellites, artificial intelligence: sophisticated tools could threaten the smooth running of this timeless ceremony. And to fear a catastrophe scenario: that the name of the future sovereign pontiff leaked before it presents itself to the whole world from the balcony of the Saint-Pierre basilica.
An important safety device
Since the last conclave, in 2013, technologies have made a considerable leap. AI now can read on the lips. Satellites can identify faces from space. Drones could capture images through the stained glass windows of the Sistine Chapel, or even disturb the cardinals voters with parasitic sounds. Even acoustic lasers can reproduce a conversation by detecting vibrations on a window.
To face it, the Vatican decided to take the lead. Around the Sistine Chapel and the Sainte-Marthe residence, where the Cardinals will accommodate, a size safety device has been set up. The buildings are meticulously inspected in search of microphones or cameras hidden in the smallest interstices – taken, lamps, woodwork, windows. Signal jammers will neutralize any attempt at electronic interception, transforming the premises into an impenetrable fortress. And if a person had managed to introduce a microphone or another electronic device, it would be impossible to transmit information.
The Vatican already victim of cyber attacks
The Vatican is not kidding with cybersecurity. At the end of 2024, Cardinal Fernando Vergez Alzaga, who headed the Vatican’s legislative and executive bodies, signed a decree introducing fines and prison terms in the event of illegal intrusion into the territory. A little earlier, the Holy See had signed a protocol with the Italian National Cybersecurity Agency to strengthen cooperation in the prevention of digital attacks.
Because the Vatican has already been targeted by large -scale cyber attacks. In 2020, computer hackers linked to the Chinese government trapped the Holy See with a false email of condolences, carrying malicious software. Their objective: to know the name of Chinese bishops appointed by Pope Francis.
While the doors of the Sistine Chapel will close on the 133 cardinals voters, one thing is certain: this conclave will be one of the most monitored in history. The cameras, the intelligence services, and undoubtedly the algorithms will try to capture what is played behind the frescoes of Michelangelo. At the heart of this world saturated with signals, the church, the time of a vote, will it become indecipherable again?
