Germany admits Russian hackers infiltrated foreign and defense ministries
http://www.dw.com/en/germany-admits-russian-hackers-infiltrated-foreign-and-defense-ministries/a-42775517
The German government admitted on Wednesday that the foreign and defense ministries had been infiltrated by Russian hacking group APT28.
Citing anonymous sources, the German news agency dpa reported the group likely placed a piece of malware in a key government network. The malware could have remained in the government's networks for as long as a year, security officials said.
The German Interior Ministry confirmed the breach. "We can confirm that the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and intelligence services are investigating a cybersecurity incident concerning the federal government's information technology and networks," an Interior Ministry spokesman said.
The hackers reportedly infiltrated the government's "Informationsverbund Berlin-Bonn" (IVBB) network, a specially designed communications platform that sits separate from other public networks for supposed added security. It's used exclusively by the Chancellery, the German parliament, federal ministries, the Federal Audit Office and several security institutions in Berlin and Bonn, the former German capital where some ministries still have offices.
The government said it receives roughly 20 attempted hacking attacks per day, while German intelligence services also carry out penetration tests once per week.