Three years after a serious cyber attack on the Federal Office of Cartography and Geodesy (BKG), the federal government blamed Chinese hackers for it. “We now know that state-controlled Chinese cyber actors have infiltrated the BKG network for espionage purposes,” said a foreign office spokesperson at the government press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China in Germany, Ken Wu, was summoned on the basis of these findings.

The attack was attributed “on the basis of a thorough technical analysis,” the spokesperson added. The Federal Office, which provides geodata, plays an important role, even for critical infrastructure facilities — including energy suppliers, water companies and transport companies.

Ministry of Interior: Hackers used obfuscation networks

The spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Maximilian Kall, explained that the attackers had used so-called obfuscation networks. This is what happens when hackers use devices in private households and companies to hide their traces for an attack.

“The Federal Government condemns the cyber attack by state-controlled Chinese actors against the Federal Office of Cartography and Geodesy in the strongest possible terms,” said the Foreign Office spokesperson.

The Federal Office for Cartography and Geodesy, headed by President Paul Becker is based at Villa Mumm in Frankfurt am Main.