Alarm before the federal election: Secret service warns - cyber hunt for material for dirty campaigns?

Do the Germans have to worry about manipulation in the federal election?

In any case, there are dangers - from home and abroad.

The authorities are on high alert.

Berlin - The security authorities are on alert: two and a half months before the federal election * there are apparently a large number of cyberattacks aimed at influencing the outcome of the federal election. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) warned on Wednesday of interference from, for example, Russia and China *. But he is also concerned about the domestic situation. According to information from the secret service, waves of online attacks have been going on for some time.

The President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, reported a wave of attacks on members of the Bundestag and state parliaments that began in February, affecting a “low three-digit number” of MPs.

This involves what is known as “phishing”: the attackers try to steal data using fake e-mails, which they then want to use against the person concerned on a certain occasion.

According to Haldenwang, however, the attacks were rarely successful - where the relevant emails were opened, greater damage could have been avoided.

Bundestag election: Seehofer warns against influence from Russia and China

In addition to cyberstalking, the spectrum of possible attacks also includes verbal abuse as well as disruptive and sabotage actions, said the President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Arne Schönbohm.

It is also about identity and data theft.

Seehofer pointed out threats from home and abroad.

There is a lot of attention, for example, for "possible influence by Moscow and China".

The security authorities take this seriously.

"But every day I am much, much more concerned with what is happening in our country," said Seehofer.

The security authorities do everything in their power to ensure an election campaign that is fair and free from outside influence, he stressed.

In addition, the Federal Returning Officer wants to help with information: The special page “Facts against Fake News” has been set up on the website www.bundeswahlleiter.de.

It should serve as an official, non-partisan and reputable source of information about the

election process, as the federal returning officer also announced on Wednesday.

The information on the dangers in the election campaign at a glance:

Federal election 2021: what are the threats in the election campaign?

Possible attacks include cyberstalking, abuse on the Internet, and disruptive and sabotage activities.

Identity and data theft are also commonplace.

Administrations can also be the target of attacks, as the latest case of the hacker attack on the administration of the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district shows.

Local electoral authorities can also be affected by such attacks.

How great is the threat from abroad?

Cyber ​​attacks, especially from Russia, have long been a headache for the security authorities.

Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) certainly sees attacks from abroad and speaks of the attention that "possible influences from Moscow and China" are receiving.

But what worries him more is what attacks are taking place domestically.

One problem, however, is that in individual cases it is often not clear whether an attack originated at home or abroad.

What are the authorities doing to avert the dangers?

The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) in particular advises members of parliament on how to prevent attacks or, if necessary, minimize the damage.

The Federal Returning Officer has also developed an extensive security system.

On the evening of the election, the results from the districts will not be transmitted via the Internet, but via a dedicated network.

Is it safe to vote by post?

Due to the ongoing Corona crisis, it is expected that significantly more people will make use of the option of postal voting than in the previous election.

Although rumors are spread over and over again that the postal vote is being manipulated - for example by ex-US President Donald Trump - the authorities have no indication that this is actually happening.

Since the introduction of the postal vote in 1957, according to Federal Returning Officer Georg Thiel, there has been no case of “large-scale manipulation” that could have influenced the result of the election. In an interview with

Merkur.de

* some time ago, a scientist gave the all-clear with regard to postal voting. (

AFP / fn

) *

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