Hacker attack on state police: service cell phones from 3,500 civil servants!

Hacker attack on state police: service cell phones from 3,500 civil servants!

Vorpommern-Rügen, Deutschland - A hacker attack on the data protection systems of the state police Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has been causing excitement since the beginning of June. More than 3,500 service cell phones that are used in daily police work may have become permanently unusable. Originally, it was expected that the mobile devices could only be used to a limited extent for a few days, but the situation is far more worrying. Much of the smartphones can no longer be used, which significantly affects internal communication and data queries from the police. According to information from Nordkurier are forced to use outdated radio technology.

The Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Interior Ministry has clarified that no personal data has been stolen and that the ongoing criminal investigations in relation to the perpetrators have already started. It was found that unknown hackers had access to the server, which was specially designed for the administration of the service cell phones. The requirements for security were high, but there was still a serious failure, which the police (GdP) union (GdP) described as a setback for police work. The GdP now calls for more investments in qualified personnel and modern technology to avoid such incidents in the future.

damage scope and reactions

The investigation into the extent of the damage drag on and it is expected that they will take a few weeks. The server on which the MPol devices are networked is replaced as a precaution in order to remove potential malware. This decision is done in consultation with the State Criminal Police Office, which also leads the investigations. In this tense situation, quick clarification would be absolutely necessary, but the private use of the service cell phones, also via second SIM cards, is no longer possible. The entire situation also raised questions about communication in the interior committee of the state parliament. Against the background of many previous cyber attacks on authorities and companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania-such as for IT systems from Bergen on Rügen or the district of Vorpommern-Rügen-the endangerment from cyber attacks is not new.

The state police have already repaid DDOS attacks, as in May 2022. Nevertheless, there were serious allegations against the state government and especially against the Interior Ministry of having observed the warnings of the Federal Office of Security in Information Technology (BSI) too late. CDU and AfD wanted to interlude debates in the state parliament, but did not find a majority for this. A look back at the purchase of the useful Apple smartphones in 2020 shows that the efforts for modern technology are repeatedly overlaid by cyber threats.

look across the national borders

Another concern of concern is the current cyber threats to state institutions. One example is the presumably pro -Russian cyber attack on the Bavarian state government, which led to the temporary non -availability of its websites. These attacks, which are classified as a distributed division of service attacks (DDOS), show that state institutions are a popular destination for hackers. Security experts warn of an increase in such incidents, which again underlines the importance of IT security today. The Bavarian State Criminal Police Office recently also found noticeable activities in the area of the police.

Overall, it remains to be seen which teachings are drawn from the current incidents and how those responsible react to them. The security situation only becomes more precarious by such attacks if the recognized risk sources are not reacted to as quickly as possible. Citizens in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania may hope for effective measures to strengthen cyber security.