The President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) Hans-Georg Maaßen has blamed Russia for the recent nationwide hacker attack on German power grids and energy companies, but submitted zero evidence.
“The Modus Operandi is indeed one of several indicators that point to a Russian control of the attack campaign,” Maassen told the editorial network of Germany.
The BfV boss did not present any evidence of Russian involvement in the attacks. He also did not share information on the companies affected by the alleged “Russian hacker” attack.
Previously, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), which is responsible for IT security, announced a series of hacker attacks called “Berserk Bear”. It is alleged to have been an attempt to penetrate the networks of German utilities. According to the BSI, the attackers hacked internal systems. First warnings of possible attacks had already been made in the summer of 2017. According to BSI, the attacks were brought under control.
But it has been extremely difficult if not impossible to attribute such attacks to specific countries since the CIA has the means to replicate country hack signatures.
The spy boss also belatedly warned against rising levels of leftist violence, which has been an obvious threat for some time now, unlike the “Russian hackers” he has blamed for intrusions. Evidence of leftwing extremism has been piling up in fact.
“The current level of violence and aggression of left-wing extremists against both police officers and against civilians and institutions is worrying,” intelligence services chief Maaßen said on Wednesday in Berlin.
The allegedly long-held consensus in the extreme left-wing scene of rejecting violence against people is increasingly eroding, Maaßen told Reuters. Left-wing extremists have called the state and the police “instruments of repression and oppression against which any kind of violence is permissible”.
The head of the secret service called for a social debate on how to deal with left-wing extremism and its increasing violence. “Violence must not be accepted as a means in the political debate and thus be made socially acceptable,” he said.
In the past five years, the potential of violent persons in the extreme left-wing scene has risen by 27 percent to 9 000. The most dangerous organisation is the Interventionist Left (IL). It has pursued a successful radicalisation strategy while refraining from outright calls for violence in its campaigns. It has also won over non-extremists to support its positions.
The IL caused a media sensation last year, with a significant share in the serious riots in which numerous police officers were injured and cars torched during the G20 summit. Surprisingly the spy chief was not informed of the danger ahead of the summit.