German security authorities have issued a warning about a new wave of attacks that they believe are likely directed by a state actor. The alert, released by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Domestic Intelligence Service, was communicated to members of the Bundestag and reported by “Spiegel”.
According to the notice, the attackers are targeting high‑profile individuals in politics, the military, diplomatic circles, and investigative journalists across Germany and Europe. Their primary goal is to intercept messages sent via the Signal messenger app, a platform widely used by journalists and politicians because of its strong end‑to‑end encryption.
While Signal’s conversations are encrypted, the BSI and intelligence office have identified phishing techniques that allow attackers to create fraudulent links that trick users into granting unauthorized access to their Signal accounts. Once compromised, a hacker can read private communications and, more alarmingly, use group chats to penetrate entire networks.
The authorities classify this campaign as “security‑relevant, especially for senior targets”. Successful intrusion not only exposes confidential messages but also opens the door to broader intelligence or criminal exploitation. The warning urges heightened vigilance and the implementation of stricter security practices for those who rely on Signal for sensitive correspondence.
