Federal government in cybersecurity chaos: red alert!

Federal government in cybersecurity chaos: red alert!

This week, several worrying incidents have brought cybersecurity in Germany into focus. After the websites of the state government of Saxony-Anhalt were paralyzed, there was also a hacker attack on the hospital group Ameos. These attacks shed a harsh light on the security situation of the IT systems of the federal government and its authorities, which, according to a recent report by the Federal Audit Office, are anything but secure. Only 10% of the federal data centers meet the necessary minimum standard for IT security MDR reported.

The report addresses the serious deficiencies in IT security in the federal administration. There is a lack of adequate emergency power supply and there are no tests as to whether the backups will work in an emergency. The result of these abuses is described as “devastating”. Given the many players in the field of cybersecurity, 370 in total, there is a veritable “jungle” of those responsible, which makes the coordination and effectiveness of the measures difficult.

Uniform concept required

A clear division of tasks between the Interior and Digital Ministries is to be determined by August, while Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has proposed a center for cyber defense. Experts express concern about the lack of central control and patchy communication about cyber incidents. “It is essential that we finally set binding standards here,” said an expert in an interview Mirror.

In the context of general cybersecurity in Germany, the management report from the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) speaks of further alarming trends. The professionalism of cybercriminals and the increase in ransomware attacks know no bounds. There was a significant increase in high-volume DDoS attacks in the first half of 2024, with small and medium-sized companies and municipalities particularly affected. A blatant incident in October 2023, which affected 72 municipalities and 20,000 jobs, shows how serious the situation actually is BSI.

Collaboration as the key to security

In view of these developments, increased cooperation between all parties involved is recommended: manufacturers, operators and consumers must work together on resilience against cybercrime. Germany's digital transformation is constantly increasing the attack surface, and the number of vulnerabilities becoming known every day is increasing. Critical vulnerabilities, particularly in perimeter systems such as firewalls and VPNs, require urgent attention.

The BSI's measures for early detection and warning of threats are a step in the right direction. But without the introduction of a comprehensive and structured cyber defense, the federal administration remains vulnerable. It is time for those responsible to act, because the cyber world never sleeps.