(de-news.net) – In response to an evolving cyber threat environment, the Federal Government plans to adopt a more assertive posture, signaling a lower threshold for the use of countermeasures against cyberattacks. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has indicated that Germany intends to move beyond a predominantly defensive approach by enabling active responses designed to disrupt hostile actors and impair their technical infrastructure. These measures would not be confined to domestic territory but could also involve actions conducted outside Germany’s borders, reflecting a broader interpretation of cyber defense and deterrence.

This strategic shift is framed against what the government describes as a persistent and recurring pattern of cyberattacks affecting a wide range of targets, including private companies, public institutions, and critical infrastructure. According to Dobrindt, many of these attacks form part of hybrid threat scenarios and are attributed to groups that maintain links to, and receive financial support from, foreign state intelligence services. On this basis, he argued that continued restraint was no longer tenable and that a more forceful and credible response was required to address the scale and sophistication of the threat.

Towards a new hybrid threat center

Operational responsibility for such countermeasures is expected to be shared between Germany’s intelligence services and the Federal Criminal Police Office. To improve coordination across agencies and levels of government, the Interior Ministry plans to establish a new center dedicated to countering hybrid threats. Preparatory work for this body is currently being carried out by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, with the center expected to become operational later this year.

At the same time, Dobrindt has called for expanded authorities for the intelligence services, encompassing both enhanced information-gathering capabilities and a broader scope for operational action. Citing Germany’s previous reliance on intelligence provided by foreign partners, he characterized these steps as a fundamental reorientation of the country’s intelligence architecture and announced his intention to present the necessary legislative proposals in the first half of the year.