Overview
- Berlin now believes a state-directed operation based in Russia ran the Signal account takeovers that hit German politicians, diplomats, soldiers and journalists.
- Attackers posed as “Signal Support” inside the app and tricked targets into sharing a PIN, SMS code or scanning a QR code, which let them move the account to a device they controlled.
- Experts say the scheme exploits people through social engineering and does not break Signal’s end-to-end encryption.
- Germany’s federal prosecutor has opened an espionage investigation, and authorities have issued public warnings as cases continue to surface.
- Parties acknowledge a handful of affected MPs, with Der Spiegel reporting Bundestag president Julia Klöckner was targeted, as the Chancellery says core government channels remain secure and lawmakers push for faster cyber reforms.