Cyber attack risk level raised in Germany ahead of election
Germany is contending with daily attacks on its government networks, according to Arne Schoenbohm, president of the country's Federal Office for Information Security. The threats have led the cybersecurity authority to raise its alert level to "heightened awareness" ahead of parliamentary elections. With several important elections due to take place across the European Union this year, authorities are taking care to ensure that the risk of hacking and interference is mitigated. Last week, France withdrew the right for expatriates to vote online due to hacking concerns.
Germany is facing daily attacks on its government networks, prompting the country's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) to raise the alert level against cyber attacks to "heightened awareness" ahead of its parliamentary elections.

Speaking to Welt am Sonntag (via Reuters), Arne Schoenbohm, president of the BSI, said: "We are noticing attacks against government networks on a daily basis."

What "heightened awareness" means in the grand scheme of things is unclear, as Welt am Sonntag didn't give details of the number or types of alert levels.

However, it did say the level has been raised since cyberattacks, allegedly perpetrated by Russia, interfered with the 2016 US presidential elections. The German parliamentary elections are to be held on 24 September.

With a number of significant elections taking place this year across the EU in particular, there are concerns across the bloc regarding potential hacks and election tampering.

Just last week France withdrew the right for expatriates to vote online over fears the system could be hacked.

"Due to the very high risk of cyber-attacks, the French authorities have decided, on the advice of the National Agency for Information Security, not to allow electronic voting for the parliamentary elections of June 2017," the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development said at the time. The closely-watched French presidential election, which begins in April, is not affected by this decision, however, as voting over the internet isn't permitted for that particular poll.

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