The head of Germany’s cybersecurity agency on Tuesday warned about a “surge” in attacks by state or state-sponsored hacking groups and called for enhanced global cooperation to better tackle the evolving threat landscape.

Claudia Plattner, president of Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), told Yonhap News Agency in a written interview that the world should be on heightened alert against “advanced persistent threat” groups, referring to a term that typically describes state or state-backed hackers.

“One of the most pressing issues we face are ransomware attacks conducted by cybercriminal groups,” Plattner said. “These groups are typically driven by financial motives and tend to target companies more than individuals or government entities.”

“Alongside these financially motivated attacks, we are also witnessing a surge in Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups. These actors conduct highly targeted and sophisticated attacks, often repeatedly hitting the same organizations,” Plattner said
.

Providing timely information and guidance on threat mitigation is one of the key tools for the German agency to help companies and other relevant entities prevent potential attacks, Plattner said.

“In the event of a significant incident, our mobile incident response team is deployed to offer on-site support to affected organizations,” said Plattner.

Plattner, a seasoned mathematician who served as director general for information technology at the European Central Bank before taking up the post, is in Seoul to attend a cybersecurity forum hosted by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service.

Asked about cyber threats from North Korea, Plattner replied, “There is a general increase in APT activities, and the BSI pays particular attention to these threats in times of changing political landscapes and elections.”

“BSI is aware of multiple cases, where Germany was targeted by activity, which public sources tie to North Korean threat groups,” she said.

Plattner called for stronger international cooperatio
n to respond to such a trend, such as the establishment of international cybersecurity standards, to raise awareness and more effectively respond to global cyber attacks.

“To bolster global cybersecurity, it is imperative that cybersecurity organizations embrace a collaborative and cooperative approach,” she said. “Cyber threats are inherently global and cannot be contained within national borders or addressed by a single entity alone. We need to move beyond isolated efforts and recognize that cybersecurity challenges require a unified global response.”

“In summary, enhancing global cybersecurity requires a concerted effort from all cybersecurity organizations to collaborate, establish international standards, share vital information, raise awareness and support strong IT security practices. Through these collective actions, we can better address the complex and evolving nature of cyber threats,” Plattner said.

Founded in 1991, the BSI is one of Germany’s cybersecurity control towers in charge of protectin
g the country’s federal networks and critical infrastructure.

The BSI is among attendees of the inaugural Cyber Summit Korea event, hosted by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, set to run from Tuesday to Thursday.

As part of the event, a global cybersecurity drill, dubbed the Allied Power Exercise 2024, will take place with an aim of improving the international community’s joint readiness against cyber attacks.

Source: Yonhap News Agency