Saxony-Anhalt in the data scandal: MPs risk email security!

Saxony-Anhalt in the data scandal: MPs risk email security!

In Saxony-Anhalt, the security of personal email accounts of members of the state parliament is currently a major issue. How MDR reported, 15 of a total of 97 MPs use private email addresses for their communication, including common providers such as @t-online.de and gmx. The left-wing parliamentary group leader Eva von Angern has particularly come into the spotlight, whose private gmx address was recently unreachable because her mailbox was overflowing.

There are special official email addresses for the state parliament that only the MPs themselves have access to, but it seems as if many prefer direct contact via private mailboxes. The state parliament administration has made recommendations on the use of email, but due to the “free mandate” the MPs are not subject to any strict requirements.

Risks and safety warnings

IT expert Bernd Schlömer warns urgently about the dangers that come with using private email addresses. Protection through antivirus software, regular backups, authenticity checks and, above all, choosing secure passwords is essential. In fact, several emails from members of the state parliament recently appeared on the dark web, including sensitive information, which makes the situation even more explosive. Loud World This affects 67 percent of MPs from Saxony-Anhalt - an alarming figure that is above average.

It was noticed that these email addresses were also used for accounts with various providers such as Dropbox and LinkedIn, sometimes for adult content. It's shocking that many passwords are simple, often based on combinations of first and last names. One MP was not even informed that his data would be published.

Measures and recommendations

The CDU parliamentary group has already reacted and is working on information security guidelines that will soon come into force. This is particularly important as the public sector in Germany is increasingly becoming the target of cyberattacks, as in eGovernment described. The need for cyber protection measures is also becoming increasingly urgent as public institutions often process sensitive data.

In view of this development, Eva von Angern brought up the idea of ​​the state parliament administration setting up constituency email addresses in order to improve communication and increase security. Discussion about this is already underway. An approach that could find open ears among MPs, as the challenges in the digital world can no longer be ignored.