Germany Dismisses Cybersecurity Chief Over Alleged Russian Ties
upstart writes:
Germany dismisses cybersecurity chief over alleged Russian ties:
Germany's government has sacked its cybersecurity chief after reports of possible ties with Russian intelligence.
An interior ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that Arne Schoenbohm had been relieved of his duties as president of the Federal Office for Information Security with immediate effect.
Media outlets reported last week that Schoenbohm could have had contacts with people involved with Russian security services through the Cyber Security Council of Germany.
The group brings together experts from public institutions and the private sector, and Schoenbohm co-founded it in 2012. Media reports said one of its members is a German company that is a subsidiary of a Russian cybersecurity firm founded by a former KGB employee.
The group, which describes itself as politically neutral, has rejected such connections as absurd.
Schoenbohm, who had been head of the German cybersecurity agency since 2016, has not commented on the reports so far. There was no immediate word on who would succeed the 53-year-old.
[...] Having said that, the ministry said it would "thoroughly investigate all known accusations".
Germany has in recent years repeatedly accused Russia of cyber espionage attempts.
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