From the perspective of German security authorities, research institutions must better protect themselves against scientific espionage for China. “Where we are now in the economy in terms of raising awareness is not where we are in research and teaching,” said the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Sinan Selen, at a cybersecurity conference in Potsdam. Universities and institutions must also draw conclusions from the security authorities’ warnings about spying operations.
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In May it became known that a German couple of Chinese origin from Munich was suspected of having made contacts at German universities for a Chinese secret service and of having lured German scientists to China under false pretenses.
Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution: German research also in focus on China
In addition, it is being investigated whether security-relevant research results at the Saarbrücken Research Center for IT Security Cispa have reached foreign bodies and whether legal violations have been committed. Last week, the “Handelsblatt” reported that there was a worryingly intensive collaboration with scientists from China, in which sensitive data and know-how on topics such as AI and cybersecurity could have flowed to the People’s Republic.
President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Selen said that Germany was the focus of the activities of Chinese intelligence services. This not only affects the economy, but also research and teaching. “And this is where all instruments are used. That means both cyber attacks and people who are infiltrated and also gain information there. We warn against that. That happens.”
The President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Claudia Plattner, said: “I assume that we will have to think again in various places about what measures and, above all, what regulations we can take there.” Cybersecurity expert at the Hasso Plattner Institute, Christian Dörr, said that given academic freedom and open exchange, universities are much more difficult to secure than companies. But in his opinion there is now a rethinking of the dangers of scientific espionage.
In mid-May, plans were announced to give the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) additional powers to combat espionage, sabotage and terrorism. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution should become a “real secret service,” said Federal Interior Minister Dobrindt (CSU) at the time.
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(dmk)
