A wave of concern has swept through the German Bundestag after multiple parliamentary factions received suspicious packages containing unlabeled USB drives, prompting an immediate warning from the Bundestag police. The incidents, occurring this week, have raised serious questions about potential cyberattacks and foreign interference in German political processes.
According to an internal communication from the CDU leadership, the packages were delivered via post and included a letter written in English alongside the unidentified USB sticks. The CDU memo explicitly instructed recipients not to connect the drives to any computer, emphasizing the potential for malicious software and data compromise. Instead, recipients were directed to return the packages to the Bundestag police via a secure, separate envelope.
The contents of the data sticks and accompanying letters remain unknown, but the coordinated delivery across multiple factions – including the CDU, SPD and AfD – points to a deliberate and potentially sophisticated operation. While the AfD confirmed that “several” of their members received similar packages, the precise number of affected parliamentarians remains unclear. The SPD echoed the concern, with their security representative describing the events as “certainly worrying” and confirming ongoing investigations by the Bundestag administration. Even the Bundestag administration itself disseminated a warning email, highlighting the widespread nature of the distribution.
The incident arrives at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and underlines vulnerabilities in digital security protocols within the German parliament. The fact that the letters were written in English suggests a potential targeting by actors seeking to exploit language barriers or deliberately sow confusion.
Critics are now questioning the adequacy of current security measures in place to protect the Bundestag from this type of threat. Some political analysts suggest a possible connection to broader efforts to influence elections or gather intelligence on German policymakers. While the Left party reported no reported incidents to date, the situation has prompted a renewed focus on cybersecurity awareness and the implementation of stricter protocols for handling external correspondence within the parliamentary complex. The ongoing investigation by the Bundestag police remains crucial in determining the origin and intent behind these suspicious deliveries.