GERMANY EMPOWERS SECRET SERVICES! PARLIAMENT APPROVES NEW HACKING AND COVERT OPERATION POWERS
Germany’s parliament has approved a major reform granting the country’s intelligence agencies expanded powers to respond to espionage, cyberattacks and other security threats.
The legislation, passed by the Bundestag on Friday, November 13, gives the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the domestic intelligence agency (BfV) additional authority to intervene against certain threats.
Under specified conditions, the agencies will be able to penetrate computer systems, disrupt hostile cyber operations and take action against infrastructure used by suspected state-backed attackers.
The government says the changes are necessary to protect Germany against increasingly sophisticated foreign threats.
However, opposition politicians and civil liberties advocates have raised concerns about privacy, surveillance and the potential expansion of state powers.
The legislation passed with 308 votes in favour, 190 against and 71 abstentions.
