Berlin: Germany is investigating a suspected cyber campaign that targeted senior political leaders and officials through the messaging app Signal, with government sources pointing to possible involvement by Russia.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the attacks were carried out using phishing methods. Instead of breaking into systems directly, the attackers tried to trick individuals into giving access to their accounts by posing as trusted contacts or sending false login requests.
The targets reportedly included politicians, diplomats, military personnel and journalists. Among those affected was Julia Klöckner, whose account was compromised. There was also an attempt to access the account of Friedrich Merz, but that effort was unsuccessful.
German federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident, which began in mid April. Security agencies, including Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Federal Office for Information Security, are monitoring the situation and have warned that the campaign could still be ongoing.
Officials say the scale of the operation is worrying because it may have allowed attackers to read private conversations, access contact lists and even impersonate victims. At the same time, authorities stressed that the attack did not exploit any weakness in the Signal app itself but relied on human error and deception.
Government sources believe the operation shows signs of state involvement, with Russia seen as the most likely actor based on past patterns of cyber activity in Europe. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of cyber attacks.
The incident highlights growing concerns about cyber threats targeting political systems and public institutions. It also shows how attackers are increasingly using trusted communication platforms to gain access to sensitive information.