The Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of an increase in cyber attacks on German companies and research institutions.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) warns of a growing danger from Russian spies in Germany because of the sanctions imposed on Russia. A reduction in Russian espionage activities is not to be expected in the foreseeable future. “Rather, against the background of the existing economic and trade sanctions by the EU against the Russian Federation and the conflicts in Eastern Europe, an intensification of the activities of Russian intelligence services can be assumed,” says the report for the protection of the constitution for 2021, which the head of the agency, Thomas Haldenwang, together with Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser ( SPD) presented this Tuesday in Berlin.
Faeser said that with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the threat had taken on a “new dimension”. You keep a close eye on that. “We are defending internal security and internal peace in Germany against Russian espionage, attempts to exert influence, lies and war propaganda,” emphasized the minister. “Putin’s lies don’t catch on in Germany,” she added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In their annual report, the secret service agents speak of a “persistently high risk” from Russian espionage and from cyber attacks on German official networks, politics, business and science. As a result, the Federal Republic would suffer “considerable foreign and security policy as well as economic damage”.
Only a few weeks ago, the Federal Office pointed out an increased risk of industrial espionage. The Cologne authorities wrote in a security advisory that the Russian economy was being cut off from know-how and technologies. There is a danger that more attempts will be made to recruit employees in Germany as informants in sectors of the economy and research relevant to Russia. Employees with Russian nationality are particularly at risk.
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Interior Minister Faeser had threatened Russia with further consequences after 40 alleged Russian diplomats who were attributed to the Russian intelligence services had already been expelled.
Russian hackers with “high technical skills”
At the same time, Faeser pointed out that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution had issued current safety instructions with recommendations for action for the economy. “Most important are awareness-raising measures for personnel managers and employees in order to immediately recognize and prevent attempts to investigate and initiate,” emphasized the SPD politician.
According to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, members of the Russian intelligence service are trying to use their “diplomatic cover” with conspiratorial methods, but also by means of seemingly harmless maintaining of contacts – so-called conversation skimming – to gain background knowledge on German positions.
>> Read here: Espionage war: How Europe is trying to smash the Russian spy network
The political, military and economic areas are particularly affected. “In addition, social networks are playing an increasing role in initiating contacts or open skimming,” says the authority’s annual report.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is critical of the fact that Russia uses cyber attacks “on a large scale” to secure strategic influence and to promote Russian military and energy exports and Russian cutting-edge technology. “Such activities can be directed specifically against individuals as well as against entire states in order to increase political and social tensions or to undermine trust in state authorities,” writes the agency in its report.
>> Read here: “We are very vulnerable”: Four reasons why companies should fear Russian hackers
Accordingly, the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB, the military foreign intelligence service GRU and the civilian foreign intelligence service SWR carry out cyber operations with the help of various hacker groups. Some of these attacks were characterized by a “high technical qualification”, according to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
According to the observations of the German secret service agents, Russia uses so-called APT hacker groups that have mastered “a wide range of different attack methods, some of which are difficult to detect” and are often financed by the state. Overall, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution assumes that there is a “high number of undetected, high-quality cyber attacks”.
More: Traffic light politicians warn of increased Russian cyber attacks on German companies.