Hacker attack paralyzes police MV: Over 3,500 cell phones unusable!

Hacker attack paralyzes police MV: Over 3,500 cell phones unusable!

The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania State Police is currently being hit by a serious hacker attack, potentially affecting 3,500 company cell phones and thus having a significant impact on police work. According to the Interior Ministry, these smartphones, which were only purchased in autumn 2020, will probably have to be permanently removed from the network due to the attacks. The Interior Ministry had initially only reported limited use, but it is now clear: the devices are no longer allowed to be switched on, which is massively disrupting the police's internal communication. Radio communication is experiencing an unexpected renaissance because officers have to resort to old radios again, which severely limits the effectiveness of police work in some situations.

As NDR further reports, unknown hackers had access to the mPol server, which manages these cell phones. Internal information such as user names, ranks and email addresses may have been accessed. While data from ongoing investigations is reportedly not affected, this attack shows how vulnerable even systems in public administration that were believed to be secure can be.

Political reactions and demands

The incident is not without political consequences. The State Criminal Police Office has already initiated investigations into the perpetrators. The police union (GdP) sees this attack as a setback for police work and is urgently calling for investments in modern equipment and qualified personnel. The case is also being discussed in the state parliament. The CDU and AfD accuse the ministry of ignoring warnings about possible hacker risks. On the other hand, the Greens are calling for more transparency and insight into the classification of the report as classified information. Interior Minister Christian Pegel is therefore under pressure because the opposition is demanding comprehensive clarification.

The situation is not just a local problem. According to BKA, an increase in ransomware attacks on public administrations in Germany has been observed. These attacks can result in massive financial damage and the loss of sensitive data. The BKA recommends revising IT security concepts and training staff in cybersecurity. This includes, among other things, regular updates to the systems and security precautions in order to better counter the risk of cyber attacks.

A look into the future

The current situation makes it clear that cybersecurity in the police is not just a technical problem, but also a security policy problem. It remains to be seen how quickly the police in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania can restore their ability to work and what lessons can be learned from this incident for future measures. Without a doubt, this episode will be remembered not only by today's generations, but also by future generations. The debate about how to deal with cyber risks will need to gain momentum in this country in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.