BBC: Mass Data Attack on German Politicians

The most sensitive data is not secure online. A cyberattack targeted hundreds of Germany politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, along with celebrities and journalists. “Contacts, private chats and financial details were put out on Twitter which belong to figures from every political party except the far-right AfD,” reports BBC News. Twitter suspended the account with 17,000 followers, and the private details online were online for days before attracting notice. An investigation into the account’s origin, followers and targets will provide clues, and suspicion focuses on right-wing groups in Germany and Russia. The German justice minister suggested the perpetrators – either hackers or a staff leaker – seek to “damage confidence in our democracy and institutions.” The German government reports that official networks show no sign of being targeted in the attack. For 2019, Germany will have four state elections along with the European Parliament elections. – YaleGlobal