Germany plans to strengthen its cybersecurity collaboration with Israel following the recent military and cyber escalation between Israel and Iran. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt outlined the new proposal during a high-profile visit to Israel on Sunday. The initiative, which has been dubbed the “Cyber Dome,” includes the creation of a joint cyber research center. Minister Dobrindt praised the Israeli cyber units for successfully thwarting many Iranian cyberattacks during the recent conflict.
He stated that military defense alone is not sufficient for this major turning point in global security.
The German interior minister has outlined a comprehensive five-point plan aimed at establishing the “Cyber Dome” for Germany. The plan calls for establishing a joint German-Israeli cyber research center to foster innovation and share intelligence. It includes expanded cooperation between Israel’s Mossad and Germany’s BND, which is its primary intelligence agency. The proposal also calls for strengthening Germany’s overall cyber defenses and its anti-drone defense capabilities.
Finally, it involves developing a nationwide system of emergency alerts and civil shelters that is modeled on Israel’s.
The twelve-day military conflict between Israel and Iran ended with a US-brokered ceasefire that was reached in June. This conflict also led to a significant and concerning escalation in cyberspace between the two rival nations. State-sponsored and volunteer hackers targeted government agencies, media outlets, and a great deal of critical infrastructure. For example, Israeli journalists and academics were targeted in a phishing campaign attributed to an Iranian threat group. In response to Israeli cyberattacks, Iranian authorities restricted internet access and banned some connected devices within security agencies.
During his visit, Dobrindt visited the site of an Iranian missile strike in a city in Israel. Standing amid the rubble, he said that Israel has Germany’s support in destroying Iran’s nuclear program. Germany has not reported any recent Iran-linked cyberattacks, but its authorities have previously issued some warnings. They have warned of growing cyber and espionage threats from foreign actors, particularly Russia, China, and Iran. A German government report last year said Iranian intelligence activities primarily focused on surveilling Iranian opposition groups.
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