German cybersecurity chief fired over alleged Russia ties - DW (English)

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser connected Tuesday dismissed the caput of the BSI nationalist cybersecurity agency, Arne Schönbohm.

Schönbohm was removed from his relation arsenic caput of the BSI nationalist cybersecurity bureau aft media reported that helium had links with radical progressive with Russian quality services.

What bash we cognize astir the dismissal?

The sacking was archetypal reported by the quality magazine, Spiegel, and aboriginal confirmed by an Interior Ministry spokesperson. 

"The inheritance to this is not slightest the allegations, which are good known and wide discussed successful the media, and which person permanently damaged the indispensable nationalist assurance successful the neutrality and impartiality of the behaviour of his bureau arsenic president of Germany's astir important cybersecurity authority," the spokesperson said.

There was nary archetypal denotation connected who would win the 53-year-old, who was head of the BSI since February 2016.

Alleged Russia ties 

Faeser was reportedly concerned astir Schönbohm's continued interaction with an relation called the Cyber Security Council of Germany. A scheduled associated quality by Schönbohm and the  interior minister — to study connected the German cyber information successful 2022 — was past week canceled portion the ministry sought the clarify the allegations.  

It's thought that the attendance of Schönbohm astatine the group's day celebrations past month brought matters to a head. 

The cyber chief helped acceptable up the group — which brings unneurotic experts from nationalist institutions and the backstage sector — conscionable implicit 10 years ago. It advises companies, politicians and authorities connected cybersecurity and describes itself arsenic politically neutral.

However, the enactment came nether occurrence aft Russia launched its warfare successful Ukraine implicit the transportation of 1 of its members to the Kremlin.

The cybersecurity company, Protelion, which was the major absorption of concern, was ejected from the Council past weekend. 

Until March, the firm was named Infotecs and was a subsidiary to its Russian namesake. It was reportedly established by a erstwhile subordinate of the Russian quality services who was honored by President Vladimir Putin.

rc/wmr (dpa, Reuters)