Berlin's Justice Senator hacked: Suspicion falls on Iran
After Felor Badenberg became a victim of a cyberattack, she is worried about the safety of her family and the political debates in the country.
Berlin's Justice Senator, Felor Badenberg (CDU), has fallen victim to a cyberattack. According to current information, a targeted attack on a workstation in the Senate Department for Justice's management office occurred, the Senate Department for Justice announced. Personal data was also stolen. This included emails from and to individuals who had been in contact with the Senate Department's management staff since February 1, 2023. Der Spiegel was the first to report on this. The trail appears to lead to Iran. And in Berlin, questions are being raised about the IT security of Berlin's authorities.
The justice administration confirmed to the Berliner Zeitung that hackers had stolen, among other things, Badenberg's digital calendar, which lists her appointments and contacts. This also includes private data. This allows, for example, a precise movement profile to be created. The consequences of this are unforeseeable.
According to the justice administration, the attack apparently began when, weeks after the senator had spoken with a representative of the Central Council of Jews, an email supposedly from there arrived in Badenberg's office. After some exchange, there was no response.
When the Central Council was unable to confirm a supposed appointment with Badenberg shortly thereafter, it became clear to Badenberg's team: There had never actually been any email exchange with a high-ranking representative of the Central Council of Jews, but rather with another, unknown partner. Apparently, an employee of the Senate administration had clicked on a link in an email addressed to Badenberg. This likely infected a computer with malware.
According to reports, investigations into the nature, extent, and background of the crime have been launched. The State Criminal Police Office and various other agencies are involved. The Berlin Data Protection Commissioner and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution have also been informed. The affected computer and any correspondence devices were immediately disconnected from the network.
Berlin Senate spokeswoman: Only the justice administration is affectedOther Senate departments were apparently not attacked. "Currently, we assume that only the Justice Department is affected," said Senate spokeswoman Christine Richter. The cyberattack was not discussed during the Senate meeting.
Suspicion falls on Iran. According to a spokesperson, Badenberg also harbors this suspicion. She is quoted in Der Spiegel as saying: "The targeted, apparently professionally prepared attack demonstrates the means used to intimidate critical voices." In particular, the access to personal data and calendar information demonstrates how serious the threat posed by cyberattacks is. "And it worries me, especially with regard to the safety of my family."
Hacked Justice Senator: Concerns about family's safetyFelor Badenberg was born in Tehran 50 years ago and attended elementary school there until 1986. At that time, Iran's capital was bombed during the Iran-Iraq War. It was during this time that the family decided to leave the country. Badenberg came to Germany with her parents at the age of twelve, where she attended school in the Rhineland.
After completing her studies, Badenberg joined the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Cologne, where she eventually rose to the position of vice president. Among other things, she earned a reputation as an "AfD hunter." In 2023, she accepted a call from Berlin to become Senator for Justice. Initially non-partisan, she is now a member of the CDU.
Felor Badenberg, an opponent of the mullah regime in IranOne indication of a hack from an Iranian source is Badenberg's declared opposition to the mullah regime in her former homeland. For example, from Germany, she supported the protests under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" in Iran in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini . It stands for the demand for more women's rights, freedom, and an end to oppression in Iran.
Badenberg has held German citizenship for decades, but is officially registered as a dual national because Iran generally does not revoke someone's citizenship. It is therefore quite possible that the regime continues to treat Felor Badenberg as an opposition figure, even thousands of kilometers away in Germany.
Cyberattack on Senator: Why Didn't IT Security Work?In her interview with the Berliner Zeitung, the senator broadens her perspective on the consequences of such hacker attacks. "They range from the theft of confidential data to the deliberate influencing of political debates," the politician writes. "Therefore, we must consistently strengthen cybersecurity in public bodies, specifically raise awareness among employees, and resolutely prosecute attacks."
The ITDZ, the state-owned IT service center , is responsible for the cybersecurity of the Berlin administration. This raises questions: Is the ITDZ state-of-the-art in this regard? What does the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution know about the hackers? Is the Iranian secret service possibly responsible for further cyberattacks?
Berliner-zeitung
