German Companies In Defense And Aerospace Sectors Targeted In Russian Hacking Campaign

German companies in the defense and aerospace sectors were among the targets of a monthslong cyberespionage campaign masterminded by Russian military agents according to German officials. The hacking campaign, which also targeted the emails of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, has strained relations between Russia and Germany.

The German Interior Ministry said in a statement that the hacking campaign began at least as early as March 2022, a month after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and also focused on targets related to the war. Emails at Social Democrat party headquarters were accessed beginning in December.

NATO has warned Germany of an intensified Russian spy network

In particular, Russian agents are expected to prepare for sabotage, violent attacks, and cyberattacks. The letter notes that the allies are "extremely concerned" about Russia's activity on NATO territory. pic.twitter.com/djLMUskNFq

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 5, 2024

International efforts led by the FBI shut down in late January a botnet of compromised network devices used by the Russian hackers, known as APT28 or Fancy Bear, in the cyberespionage scheme according to the statement.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock attributed the hacking to a unit of Russia’s GRU military intelligence unit. “This is absolutely intolerable and unacceptable and will have consequences,” she said at a news conference in the Australian city of Adelaide without specifying what the consequences might be.

Relations between Russia and Germany were already tense with Germany providing military support to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. The hacking revelations have further strained ties between the two countries.

NATO and fellow European countries joined Germany in warning that Russia’s actions would have consequences particularly with EU elections upcoming in June.