BERLIN \u2014 A cyberattack on German government computer systems thought to have been committed by a Russian-backed hacking group is ongoing and may have caused \u201cconsiderable damage,\u201d members of parliament\u2019s intelligence oversight committee said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
News of the hack broke Wednesday with a report from German news agency dpa, and committee members expressed outrage that they first learned of the attack, discovered in December, from the media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile there may be good arguments about why some of the information was kept tight during the past weeks, it is completely inacceptable that yesterday afternoon we were informed by dpa,\u201d Greens lawmaker Konstantin von Notz told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Citing unidentified security sources, dpa reported that investigators believe a Russian group known as Snake carried out the hack that breached Germany\u2019s foreign and defense ministries and managed to steal data. It said the attack was uncovered in December and may have been going on for a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier, dpa had reported that the group behind the attack was APT28, also known by other names including \u201cFancy Bear.\u201d APT28, which has been linked to Russian military intelligence, has previously been blamed for attacks on the German Parliament in 2015, as well as on NATO, governments in eastern Europe, the U.S. election campaign, anti-doping agencies and other targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Interior Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that networks belonging to the \u201cfederal administration\u201d had been hacked into, saying \u201cthe attack was isolated and brought under control.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Interior Ministry spokesman wouldn\u2019t give further details, citing the ongoing analysis and security measures being taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Armin Schuster, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s Christian Democrats and chairman of the intelligence oversight committee, called it a \u201cveritable attack\u201d on the government network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an ongoing attack and therefore public discussions about details would simply be a warning to the attacker which we don\u2019t want to give,\u201d he said after an emergency meeting of the committee. \u201cThe spilling of secrets caused considerable damage, but the government, as of today, is trying to limit the damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Left Party lawmaker and intelligence oversight committee member Andre Hahn said that in his opinion the government is trying to \u201cdownplay\u201d the significance of the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI fear that in the coming weeks quite a bit more will come to light,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
German media reported the breach was allowed to continue so investigators could gather information about the scope and the targets of the attack, and its initiators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Germany\u2019s domestic intelligence agency, Snake \u2014 the group suspected to be behind the attack \u2014 first surfaced in 2005 and uses \u201ca very complex and high quality software\u201d that also goes by the name Uroburos or Turla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe selection of targets indicates state interests: those affected are government agencies and targets in business and research,\u201d Germany\u2019s BfV spy agency said in its annual report for 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dpa news agency reported that the attackers entered government networks through a training academy for civil servants, then carefully made their way into other parts of the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following dpa\u2019s report Wednesday, officials confirmed that there were at least \u201cindications\u201d that Russian hackers were behind the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf it turns out to be true, it is a form of warfare against Germany,\u201d the head of the digital affairs committee, Dieter Janacek from the Greens party, told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper. Janacek characterized the attack as \u201csevere\u201d and called on the government to pass on the information it has to parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
David Rising contributed reporting.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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