- Minister Wissing: IT failures will increase
Mainz (dpa) – IT glitches like the recent one at the American cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, or even cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, are likely to become more frequent in the future, according to Federal Digital Minister Volker Wissing. "It will increase because the level of digitization is rising," the FDP politician told Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Mainz. "And it will increase because artificial intelligence is rapidly accelerating digitization." Artificial intelligence is also being used by criminal elements to carry out cyberattacks.
The recent IT glitch at Crowdstrike caused widespread disruptions worldwide, including near paralysis of air traffic in many places. Supermarkets, banks, hospitals, TV stations, and other facilities were also affected. Crowdstrike blamed a faulty update to software for Windows computers.
"One must always have a Plan B, and preferably more"
Wissing told dpa in Mainz that it's important for Germany to have corresponding security concepts in place. After the Berlin airport couldn't be operated due to the aftermath of the glitch, alternative airports were used according to a plan designed for such cases. The goal is always to build redundancies in critical infrastructure, also to be prepared for attacks like the recent one on the French rail network. This could be an alternative airport, an alternative route for the train, or a second cable to replace a damaged one.
"One must always have a Plan B, and preferably more," said Wissing. "Redundancies are very important to ensure that an attack does not have its intended effect and that the infrastructure remains usable." The case of Crowdstrike showed that this system works in Germany. "There was no danger to life or limb."
Rail tracks and airports must be better protected
It's clear that critical infrastructure like rail tracks or airports must be better protected than before. The German railway has significantly increased its security measures. There are now 10,000 cameras at around 800 locations on the track network, 2,000 more than before. More than 50,000 cameras have been installed in the S-Bahn operated by the railway, which has 4,500 security personnel and is continuing to expand its security staff. "We must be aware that the times are unfortunately becoming more challenging."
The future of cybersecurity is concerning as IT issues like the Crowdstrike glitch and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are expected to increase due to rising digitization and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Therefore, it's crucial for nations like Germany to always have backup plans and redundancies in place to mitigate the effects of such attacks and ensure infrastructure remains functional.
