Germany Suspects Russia-Linked Hackers in Attacks on Politicians

(Bloomberg) -- Hackers suspected of ties to Russia’s government targeted Germany with a renewed cyber attack on political institutions, according to the country’s domestic intelligence agency.

The agency, known as BfV, said it discovered the infiltration during a probe into a suspected hacker group known as “Snake.” That follows an attack on the German government’s computer networks early this year.

Targets included federal lawmakers, military facilities and German embassies, according to news portal Spiegel Online, which said the latest incursion was detected on Nov. 14.

“The BfV has been able to detect new attacks as part of its investigation into the cyber-attack campaign ‘Snake,’” a spokeswoman for the agency, known as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, said by phone. “The victims are mainly in the realm of the state and politics.”

“Snake” appears to have ties to Russia’s FSB intelligence service, with a focus on former Soviet states, Warsaw Pact members and countries in the Middle East, according to the BfV. The campaign has targeted government institutions as well as research and development facilities.

To contact the reporter on this story: Patrick Donahue in Berlin at pdonahue1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Tony Czuczka

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