The BSI has called on the federal administration, operators of critical infrastructures and companies to be more vigilant.
(Photo: dpa)
Dusseldorf In view of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increased cyber attacks on Ukrainian targets, German security authorities are warning of cyber attacks on German authorities and companies. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) recognizes an “increased threat situation for Germany”, as it writes in a special situation report on Friday.
The BSI has been assessing the current IT threat situation in the country for several days with the second highest warning level “orange”. The authority has strengthened its own protection and crisis response in the short term and activated the National IT Crisis Response Center, writes the BSI.
The center serves to react to and deal with serious cyber security incidents and IT crises. All information on the situation with regard to information security also comes together in the National Cyber Defense Center in Bonn and is evaluated there.
In addition, the BSI has called on the federal administration, operators of critical infrastructures (Kritis) and companies to be more vigilant and responsive. However, “there is currently no acute threat to information security in connection with the situation in Ukraine.” However, this situation could change at any time without warning, and the threat situation could intensify.
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The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) is currently assuming an increased risk of cyber attacks. “However, there are currently no concrete indications of cyber attacks against German authorities,” writes the authority. Kritis operators were asked to increase their IT security measures.
These are measures such as “increased monitoring and organizational measures to prepare for possible incidents”. Overall, the measures taken in Germany to ensure IT security are at a high level.
EU activates cyber team for the first time
For the first time, the European Union has activated the so-called Cyber Rapid Response Team (CRRT) to support Ukraine. The news platform Politico reported that the EU would like to provide a team of IT security experts.
The team will consist of around ten experts from Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania and will help protect state bodies and critical infrastructure in Ukraine. However, according to information from the BSI, the team has not yet been able to enter Ukraine from Lithuania. “On-site assistance is not possible until further notice,” writes the authority in the situation report.
The BSI also has reports of troll activities to the advantage of the Russian leadership. Trolls would leave a multitude of pro-Russian comments on Western media outlets on social media. “The high number of pro-Russian comments seems to overwhelm the human capacities and technical possibilities for checking and deleting,” it says.
More: War in Ukraine on the Internet: Cyber weapon “HermeticWiper” attacks companies and authorities