Suspected Russian Hacker Attack on Messaging App Signal Targets NATO, German Officials
The messaging app Signal was recently subjected to a large-scale phishing attack, suspected to be from Russia, targeting high-level German politicians and NATO personnel. Approximately 300 political accounts have been compromised, raising concerns about classified information leaks. German intelligence and cybersecurity agencies are investigating.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 17:33
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 18:02 (28 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 27, 2026 at 18:09 (7 min after Collected)
## Press Release Information
Title: Suspected Russian Hacker Attack on Messaging App Signal Targets NATO, German Officials
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Body (first 8000 characters): Central Message
(Central News Agency, Reporter Lin Shang-ying, Berlin, April 27) The messaging app Signal was recently subjected to a large-scale phishing attack. The German government suspects it may have been launched by Russia, targeting German political figures and NATO-related personnel. German media reported that approximately 300 political accounts have been compromised, including Bundestag President Julia Klöckner. German intelligence and cybersecurity agencies have intervened in the investigation.
Signal, which uses end-to-end encryption, is considered a communication app with high privacy and security, and is frequently used by German politicians, staff, and journalists. In March this year, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Dutch intelligence agencies warned that Russian intelligence agencies were conducting large-scale attacks on Signal accounts.
German media Der Spiegel and Süddeutsche Zeitung recently confirmed that the findings of the German official investigation are consistent with previous external assessments, suspecting the attack originated from Russia. Sources further pointed out that approximately 300 known accounts have been compromised by Russian hackers, and victims include high-ranking officials such as Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and Federal Minister for Construction Verena Hubertz.
The German domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), warned that this wave of attacks primarily targets high-level political, military, and administrative systems, as well as investigative journalists. In addition to the German government and parliament, targets include think tanks, intelligence officers, and military personnel, extending to NATO and EU-related personnel.
According to the report, the chat content of the compromised individuals has been monitored, and messages from the past 45 days have also been read. Sources believe that the damage from the leakage of classified information is immeasurable.
However, according to current investigation results, this attack did not employ complex technology but rather traditional phishing, exploiting the trust and carelessness of communication app users to gain control of accounts.
The report states that attacks usually begin with a message that appears to be from official Signal sources, claiming abnormal activity in the account and requesting users to enter a verification code or perform a security confirmation. Once the victim follows the instructions, the account may be taken over by the attacker.
Another method involves inducing users to scan a QR code, linking the user's Signal account to an attacker-controlled device. Since Signal allows users to synchronize messages on other devices such as computers, if this feature is misused, attackers can continuously read conversations and receive new messages without being detected.
Süddeutsche Zeitung described this attack method as "handing over the keys to a stranger," as it does not require breaking the system's encryption mechanism itself. As long as the victim actively authorizes it, full access can be obtained. Cybersecurity experts explain that such hacking methods belong to "social engineering," designed to exploit human weaknesses rather than technical vulnerabilities.
Germany has experienced several Russian hacker attacks in the past, including the hacking of Chancellor Angela Merkel's office computer in 2015 and the invasion of the then-ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters' email in 2022. Both cases, after investigation, were led by Russian military and intelligence units.
Regarding this attack, the German government has not yet officially responded. German media pointed out that relevant agencies such as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) are strengthening precautions; in March this year, the German Ministry of Defense issued new regulations strictly prohibiting personnel from bringing private mobile phones into the Ministry of Defense to ensure information security. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150427
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Title: Suspected Russian Hacker Attack on Messaging App Signal Targets NATO, German Officials
Subtitle:
Company Name:
Industry:
Body (first 8000 characters): Central Message
(Central News Agency, Reporter Lin Shang-ying, Berlin, April 27) The messaging app Signal was recently subjected to a large-scale phishing attack. The German government suspects it may have been launched by Russia, targeting German political figures and NATO-related personnel. German media reported that approximately 300 political accounts have been compromised, including Bundestag President Julia Klöckner. German intelligence and cybersecurity agencies have intervened in the investigation.
Signal, which uses end-to-end encryption, is considered a communication app with high privacy and security, and is frequently used by German politicians, staff, and journalists. In March this year, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Dutch intelligence agencies warned that Russian intelligence agencies were conducting large-scale attacks on Signal accounts.
German media Der Spiegel and Süddeutsche Zeitung recently confirmed that the findings of the German official investigation are consistent with previous external assessments, suspecting the attack originated from Russia. Sources further pointed out that approximately 300 known accounts have been compromised by Russian hackers, and victims include high-ranking officials such as Bundestag President Julia Klöckner and Federal Minister for Construction Verena Hubertz.
The German domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), warned that this wave of attacks primarily targets high-level political, military, and administrative systems, as well as investigative journalists. In addition to the German government and parliament, targets include think tanks, intelligence officers, and military personnel, extending to NATO and EU-related personnel.
According to the report, the chat content of the compromised individuals has been monitored, and messages from the past 45 days have also been read. Sources believe that the damage from the leakage of classified information is immeasurable.
However, according to current investigation results, this attack did not employ complex technology but rather traditional phishing, exploiting the trust and carelessness of communication app users to gain control of accounts.
The report states that attacks usually begin with a message that appears to be from official Signal sources, claiming abnormal activity in the account and requesting users to enter a verification code or perform a security confirmation. Once the victim follows the instructions, the account may be taken over by the attacker.
Another method involves inducing users to scan a QR code, linking the user's Signal account to an attacker-controlled device. Since Signal allows users to synchronize messages on other devices such as computers, if this feature is misused, attackers can continuously read conversations and receive new messages without being detected.
Süddeutsche Zeitung described this attack method as "handing over the keys to a stranger," as it does not require breaking the system's encryption mechanism itself. As long as the victim actively authorizes it, full access can be obtained. Cybersecurity experts explain that such hacking methods belong to "social engineering," designed to exploit human weaknesses rather than technical vulnerabilities.
Germany has experienced several Russian hacker attacks in the past, including the hacking of Chancellor Angela Merkel's office computer in 2015 and the invasion of the then-ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters' email in 2022. Both cases, after investigation, were led by Russian military and intelligence units.
Regarding this attack, the German government has not yet officially responded. German media pointed out that relevant agencies such as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) are strengthening precautions; in March this year, the German Ministry of Defense issued new regulations strictly prohibiting personnel from bringing private mobile phones into the Ministry of Defense to ensure information security. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150427
Choose to stand with facts, your every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast, transmitted, or used without authorization.
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