Hackers posted personal data, including credit card details and mobile phone numbers, of hundreds of German politicians, national media reported on Friday (4 January). All major German parties except for the far-right AfD have been affected, the report said. The identity of the hackers and their motive are not known yet. The data, published on a Twitter account seen by EURACTIV, also included addresses, personal letters, and copies of identity cards, the public broadcaster said. The data was spread on Twitter before Christmas, staged as an advent calendar, but the breach was not noticed until Thursday evening. The operator of the account in question claims to be based in Hamburg and had more than 17.000 followers as of Friday morning. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the report as it was initially open if all data is authentic.
In first reports, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also said to be affected by the hack, suggesting that the Twitter account displays a fax number, an e-mail address and several letters from and to the Chancellor.
“With regard to the Chancellery it seems that, judging by the initial review, no sensitive information and data have been published and this includes (from) the chancellor,” Merkel’s spokeswoman told reporters at a regular government news conference in Berlin.
Among the victims of the hacker attack is according to the “Bild” newspaper also Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Full Article: ‘Mass hack attack’ against politicians raises eyebrows in Berlin – EURACTIV.com.