German Foreign Minister Says Russia will Face Consequences for Monthslong Cyber Espionage

German Foreign Minister Says Russia will Face Consequences for Monthslong Cyber Espionage

May 4, 2024 at 07:57AM

German officials accused Russian military agents of hacking Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party and other sensitive targets, with NATO and European countries joining in condemning Russia’s cyberespionage actions. The hacking, attributed to Russian military cyber operators, targeted emails and institutions over several months. International efforts shut down the botnet used by the hackers. NATO and EU nations pledged to deter and counter cyberthreats.

Key takeaways from the meeting notes:

– Germany has accused Russian military agents of hacking the top echelons of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party and other sensitive government and industrial targets.
– NATO and fellow European countries have joined Germany in warning that Russia’s cyberespionage will have consequences.
– The hacking campaign persisted for months and targeted emails of the Social Democrats, as well as German companies in the defense and aerospace sectors.
– The hacking also targeted various unidentified German government authorities, foundations, and associations, as well as Czech institutions.
– The EU strongly condemned the cyber campaign by Fancy Bear and noted that it had previously imposed sanctions on individuals and entities associated with the group for targeting the German parliament in 2015.
– NATO accused Fancy Bear of targeting national governmental entities, critical infrastructure operators, and other entities across the Alliance, including in Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Sweden.
– German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is visiting Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, with a focus on security policy as China pushes for influence in the Pacific region.

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