German politicians have had their personal data hacked and then dumped online
The hack has hit hundreds of politicians from all major parties and includes bank details, emails, addresses, private chats, and ID card details.
The news: Public broadcaster RBB said the data was tweeted out by a Twitter account over the weeks before Christmas, althiough it was only discovered last night. All major parties except the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) were affected, according to Der Spiegel magazine. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. The account has now been suspended.
Victims: German newspaper Bild says that the entire German cabinet is affected, including Chancellor Angela Merkel. A number of high-profile musicians and comedians have also been caught up in the attack. The data released does not appear to be politically sensitive (and some of it is out of date). Justice Minister Katarina Barley told the BBC: “The people behind this want to damage confidence in our democracy and institutions.”
Response: News of the hack has prompted Germany’s intelligence agencies to meet this morning to coordinate a response. The country’s internal computer networks have not been breached, according to Bild.
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