Horst Seehofer has announced comprehensive efforts to protect the European elections in May after the massive data leak. "In the next few weeks, we will also have to deal intensively with the topic of European elections: How can we avoid manipulation and influence on the way to election day with high probability," said the Federal Minister of the Interior after a special session of the Interior Committee.
In addition, he is concerned with the protection of critical infrastructures, such as the energy sector. It must be possible to "actively fend off" attacks in this area.
Seehofer said that according to the data leak, the investigations by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) are still ongoing. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) is also considering how it could increase the protection of the constitutional organs and citizens. His ministry, in turn, deals with where changes in the law are necessary for more security.
Seehofer spoke again for an early warning system. What is needed is a program that examines in individual cases whether it is behind a system or a broad-based action.
BKA determines possible supporters
BKA boss Holger Münch said his authority continues to investigate how the now-confessed perpetrator has proceeded and whether he has had supporters. The investigators also worked to clarify whether more, but so far unpublished data had drained off.
In recent weeks, a large number of personal data and documents have been published on the Internet. Affected are around 1000 public figures such as politicians, journalists, artists and elected officials. A recently arrested 20-year-old suspect from Central Hesse has confessed to spying the data and publishing it on Twitter.
SPD parliamentary spokesman Burkhard Lischka said after the meeting that better cooperation between the many cyber defense and cyber security agencies was needed. The opposition also called for better cooperation between the authorities. Domestic Affairs spokesman Mathias Middelberg said the human resources and skills of the state authorities needed to be strengthened. One must also talk about online searches, covert investigations and the extension of storage periods.