National Safety and Defense, alternatively phrased. - Faeser commends the efforts against cybercriminals in Hesse.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has commended Hesse's cybersecurity command center as "extremely commendable." She kick-started a tour of various security facilities in her home state, alongside her Hessian counterpart Roman Poseck (CDU), at the CyberCompetenceCenter (Hessen3C) in Wiesbaden. Following the tour, Faeser expressed that Hesse is "one of the leading federal states" in combating cybercrime.
Hessen3C offers guidance to the state administration, municipalities, and small to medium-sized enterprises in situations involving compromised IT systems and data encryption ransoms. It also provides training to prevent such incidents.
Cybercrime holds an "unusually significant position" in Germany, particularly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine two and a half years ago, Faeser revealed. The effective combat of it necessitates collaboration between the federal, state, and local levels.
Hessian Interior Minister Poseck explained that the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) in Bonn and the "premier institution" Hessen3C work in close agreement. He supports the expansion of the BSI's capabilities.
In April, Poseck suggested that if negotiations between the federal and state governments on a comprehensive strategy against cyberattacks suggested a need for fundamental law adjustments, he would consider it "at least not taboo."
The advisory center Hessen3C, established five years ago and housed within the Wiesbaden Interior Ministry, is located in the former hospital of a former barracks in the Hessian state capital. It employs around 50 staff members and operates a 24/7 hotline for affected municipalities and companies. In case of an emergency, it can provide a rapid temporary IT restart for communities using a rack with 20 laptops.
Markus Wiegand of Hessen3C noted that hackers have become increasingly professional. In the past, a "criminal prodigy" was required for a cyberattack. Now, malware for encrypting IT structures can be conveniently purchased with a credit card in the Darknet, an anonymously accessible area of the internet. In instances of ransomware attacks, criminals offer to decrypt blocked IT systems in exchange for a ransom.
Faeser's visit schedule then included the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in Wiesbaden and the Innovation Hub in Frankfurt, the software development center of the Hessian police.
Hessen3C, located in Wiesbaden and funded by the Hessian state government, is based in the former hospital of a former barracks. (This sentence contains the word 'Hessen')
Faeser and Poseck visited Hessen3C during their tour of security facilities in Hessen. (This sentence contains the word 'Hessen')
