German cyber security watchdog raises attack alert level

Telegraph - Germany has raised its alert level against against cyber attacks to "heightened readiness" ahead of parliamentary elections, saying government websites are already subjected to daily assault, newspaper Welt am Sonntag said.

"We are noticing attacks against government networks on a daily basis," Arne Schoenbohm, president of Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), told the paper.

BSI is in close contact with election officials, political parties and German Federal States to discuss how to guard against cyberattacks and stands ready to react to potential attacks ahead of the elections, Mr Schoenbohm said.

The newspaper did not give details of the number and types of alert levels but said the level has been raised since cyber attacks interfered in the US presidential election.

BSI could not immediately be reached for comment. It is due to hold a press conference in Hanover on Monday at CeBIT, Germany's largest annual technology conference.

The president of Germany's BfV domestic intelligence service, Hans-Georg Maassen, warned in late February that industrialised countries were becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks as industry increases the adoption of digital technologies.