“Active cyber defence” for Germany
Cyber attacks are a threat to businesses and administrative bodies. The Federal Government responds to this by granting its authorities comprehensive new powers.
Berlin (dpa) – Beyond preventive measures, the Federal Government plans to permit “active cyber defence” in the future. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the Federal Police and the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) are to be provided with additional tools for fighting off cyber attacks. This includes the prohibition of the operation of information technology systems that can pose a risk, redirection of data traffic and the reading, deletion or modification of data.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt referred to these plans as active cyber defence. He said that “we are going to take proactive measures. This means that we are going to be able to fight back and eliminate the threat when we are attacked, to interfere with attackers and destroy their infrastructure.” He added that foreign powers, state actors and associated actors were increasingly responsible for cyber attacks against Germany. The focus was on the economy, industry, state bodies and politics, he said, listing espionage, sabotage, blackmail and “demonstrations of power in the digital sphere” as potential threats.
