Following recent attacks on substations in Jänschwalde and Bergheim, Florian Bieberbach, Chairman of the Management Board at Stadtwerke München, is advocating for a more practical approach to protecting vital infrastructure. In a guest article for the “Handelsblatt”, Bieberbach stresses that policymakers and authorities must shift their focus from mandatory documentation to implementing actionable security measures.
Bieberbach argues that “security is not established on paper, but through people who are able to act, and through a framework that permits concrete actions rather than impeding them.”
He proposes that operators of critical facilities should be permitted to deploy monitoring systems without constantly worrying about infringing data protection or AI regulations. One specific example he offers is the possibility of filming intruders who are approaching a site or climbing over security fences-rather than waiting until they are already inside the operational area.
Furthermore, Bieberbach calls for the regulatory framework to properly account for and encourage investments in physical security, cyber defense, and general crisis preparedness.
