Attack of 2021 - The Chinese government says it's behind a cyber attack on a federal office.
Three years after a severe cyberattack on the Federal Office for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), the German government has attributed the incident to Chinese hackers. "Today, we know that state-sponsored Chinese cyber actors infiltrated the BKG network for espionage purposes," a spokesperson for the Foreign Office in Berlin said. The Chinese ambassador has been summoned as a result of these findings.
The attribution of the attack was made "based on a thorough technical analysis," the spokesperson added. The Federal Office, which provides geodata, plays a crucial role, including for critical infrastructure facilities - such as energy providers, waterworks, and transport companies.
Interior Ministry: Hackers used obfuscation networks for cyberattack
The spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Maximilian Kall, explained that the attackers had used so-called obfuscation networks. This refers to hackers using devices in private households and companies to conceal their tracks during an attack.
"The German government condemns in the strongest possible terms the cyberattack by state-sponsored Chinese actors against the Federal Office for Cartography and Geodesy," the spokesperson for the Foreign Office said.
The use of obfuscation networks by the hackers in the cyberattack highlights the sophistication often associated with espionage activities. Furthermore, the motive behind the attack was clearly espionage, as stated by the spokesperson from the Foreign Office.
