Overview
- Federal prosecutors, who opened a spying investigation Friday, are examining phishing attacks on Signal that targeted lawmakers and other high-profile figures.
- Der Spiegel reported that Bundestag President Julia Klöckner’s account was compromised and that roughly 300 political accounts were affected, though authorities have not confirmed the tally.
- Investigators say messages posing as Signal support coaxed users to share verification codes or PINs, which let attackers take over accounts and view chats, photos, files, and contact lists.
- German security agencies had warned since February that a state-backed campaign was active, and government sources now presume the operation was run from Russia, with Moscow denying involvement.
- Officials and cybersecurity teams are notifying victims and checking devices, and Signal reminded users it never asks for codes or PINs, underscoring the need for stricter account safeguards for public officials.