Germany's intelligence agencies have been given wide-ranging new powers. The lawmakers in the Bundestag agreed to a reform package on Friday.
Under the new rules, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) will be allowed to respond to cyberattacks by foreign powers with counterattacks of its own. The range of possible measures is broad, from deleting and manipulating data to disabling entire systems and, if necessary, even destroying physical weapons such as drones that could be deployed against Germany.
Under certain conditions, the agencies will also be permitted to enter homes and business premises covertly, for example, to prepare surveillance operations. They will, however, not be allowed to use force against people. An independent oversight board is to be established to monitor the agencies.
Opposition lawmakers specializing in domestic policy warned against granting powers that are too broad.
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The president of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch this week again pointed out that today's hybrid attacks pose a new challenge to the organizations safeguarding the country's security. At his organization's annual meeting in Berlin this week, he said the "hybrid attacks" are challenging the "separation principle," which means that the police conduct investigations while intelligence services gather information.
