Detailed records of more than 6,000 conversations within Germany’s Bundeswehr were accessible on the web up to May 3, Die Zeit, a German news source reports.
Following a leaked audio which disclosed discussions among German military personnel about providing Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine and the associated Ukrainian troops’ training, Die Zeit conducted its report.
This nearly 40 minutes of audio, revealed on March 1 by Margarita Simonyan, a chief editor at RT, a Russian state-controlled channel.
According to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the incriminated teleconference, which was conducted using Webex videoconferencing software on Bundeswehr-owned servers, had a breakdown in security due to participants not following the prescribed secure log-in procedures.
Die Zeit disclosed that numerous links with details on the conferences were online until the night of May 3. The exposed details included meeting agendas, timings, durations, and organizers’ information.
Considering some online conferences were classified, Die Zeit expressed concerns about the level of severity of the leak.
Furthermore, Die Zeit alleged it was possible to access Bundeswehr personnel’s private video conferencing spaces, including that of Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, the head of the German Air Force. This meeting was reportedly unprotected by a password.
Though not conclusively established, the Bundeswehr has not excluded the possibility of secret data being compromised as a consequence of the incident.
In response, the Bundeswehr has informed Die Zeit that it is choosing to halt the use of Webex for the time being.
FAQ Section
- When were the Bundeswehr meeting details available online?
- The data was available online until the evening of May 3.
- Which software was used for the meetings that got leaked?
- The meetings were conducted using Webex videoconferencing software.
- Was any classified information compromised?
- It is not conclusively established, but the Bundeswehr has not ruled out the possibility of such an outcome.
- What measures has the Bundeswehr taken following the incident?
- They have temporarily stopped using Webex for their meetings.
- Was any action taken against Russia for the alleged cyberattack?
- The details of any specific actions are not disclosed, but Germany has officially accused Russia of the cyberattack.
Conclusion
The exposure of sensitive data from thousands of Bundeswehr meetings poses a significant security risk, highlighting the importance of stringent cybersecurity measures in protecting national security interests. The repercussions of such leaks are yet to be fully understood, but immediate actions have been deemed necessary by the Bundeswehr to prevent further incidents. The situation also accentuates the ongoing cybersecurity threats posed by state actors, a point reinforced by Germany’s recent allegations against Russia.
Note: We, TheUBJ, are not the source of the original news content. This article is based on rewritten information gathered from various internet-based news feeds through AI technology. Neither ownership nor authorship of the original content is claimed by us. For reference, the original link from https://kyivindependent.com/die-zeit-leaked-data-on-bundeswehrs-secret-online-meetings-was-available-online-until-may-3/ is provided.