Germany Faces Rising Cyber Threats from Russia and Against Israel

Germany has witnessed a significant surge in cybercrime and general criminal activity in cyberspace over recent years. The findings of a report by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) are alarming, as security authorities in Germany increasingly express concern about cyberattacks orchestrated by hackers linked to Russia. Additionally, there is a rise in cyberattacks from adversaries of Israel, according to German reports. Germany is becoming an increasingly frequent target for both cybercriminals and so-called ‘hacktivists’ from abroad, whose motivations are primarily political or activist-driven, often supporting actions favoring Russia or opposing Israel. For 2024, while cases involving domestic suspects dropped from 134,000 to 131,000, cybercrimes originating from abroad increased from 190,000 to 202,000 incidents. The Federal Ministry of the Interior expressed particular concern about attacks from Russia. “We observe growing geopolitical conflicts extending into the digital space,” stated Minister Alexander Dobrindt, highlighting the increasing hybrid threat to the country. “We are massively upgrading our legal, technical, and organizational tools,” Dobrindt explained, noting that this involves granting more powers to security agencies and raising security standards in government and administration using Artificial Intelligence, which attackers are already utilizing. “Cyberattacks have immense potential to cause damage and pose a threat to the economy, state, and society,” the Interior Minister added. In its report, BKA highlights the risks faced by businesses, institutions, especially smaller companies, pointing out ‘cybercrime as a service,’ where criminals offer their services on dark web markets.