Cyberwarfare in Germany

Cyberwarfare in Germany

 

In 2013, Germany revealed the existence of their 60-person Computer Network Operation unit. The German intelligence agency, BND, announced it was seeking to hire 130 "hackers" for a new "cyber defence station" unit. In March 2013, BND president Gerhard Schindler announced that his agency had observed up to five attacks a day on government authorities, thought mainly to originate in China. He confirmed the attackers had so far only accessed data and expressed concern that the stolen information could be used as the basis of future sabotage attacks against arms manufacturers, telecommunications companies and government and military agencies. Shortly after Edward Snowden leaked details of the U.S. National Security Agency's cyber surveillance system, German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich announced that the BND would be given an additional budget of 100 million Euros to increase their cyber surveillance capability from 5% of total internet traffic in Germany to 20% of total traffic, the maximum amount allowed by German law.

Cyberconflict and Cybersecurity Initiative

Cyberconflict and Cybersecurity Initiative

Cyberconflict the use of computer power for intelligence gathering or to attack the computer, communication, transportation, and energy networks of states or non-governmental groups--is now a major arena of political, economic, and military contest. Fending off cyberattacks has become a costly preoccupation of governments, corporations, and non-profit organizations. Cyberattacks could ultimately lead to massive financial loss, economic disruptions, or even war.

Despite this potential for harm, little agreement exists on how to respond. One problem is the lack of understanding, especially among policymakers, about how interconnected and vulnerable our increasingly sophisticated computer networks are. Beyond this lies a whole host of thorny analytical questions: What is our ability to track the source of attacks? How susceptible are we to "false flag" attacks where the attackers deliberately seek to "frame" another actor as carrying out an attack? What responsibility should governments bear for attacks carried out by their nationals on foreign governments or entities? How should the responsibility for defending against cyberattacks be apportioned between government and the private sector, between national governments and the international community? Can deterrence work in cyberspace?

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is actively engaged in helping U.S policy makers, business leaders, and the general public better address these and other questions at the nexus of cybersecurity and foreign policy. CFR has hosted some of the most important practioners and thinkers to speak at general meetings and roundtable seminars.

In January 2011, CFR will host a one-day workshop focusing on some of the trade and economic issues involved in cybersecurity including supply chain security and corporate espionage. Future meetings and research will focus on the relationship between cyberwar and the existing laws of war and conflict; how the United States should engage other states and international actors in pursuit of its interests in cyberspace; how the promotion of the free flow of information interacts with the pursuit of cybersecurity; and the private sectors role in defense, deterrence, and resilience.

Five CFR Research Fellows work on cyber issues, and they publish in numerous outlets and comment frequently in the media. And CFR's membership and corporate programs have a unique ability to draw expertise from government, industry, and academia to address an issue that will require greater public-private cooperation, both domestically and internationally.