Federal cyber crime agency warns of large-scale attacks on European power grid

Germany’s cyber crime agency in the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) warns that attacks on energy providers in the country could lead to a Europe-wide blackout, news website Spiegel Online reports. According to an internal BKA document seen by Spiegel, cyber criminals have taken an interest in “critical infrastructure in Germany (especially energy supply)." The BKA warns that a targeted attack on German power plants could lead to a “knock-on effect” in other European countries and eventually let the continent’s entire power grid collapse. The agency says there is no imminent danger of an attack but urges authorities “to constantly monitor the abilities of attackers and to improve precautionary measures.”

Find the article in German here.

See the CLEW dossier The energy transition and Germany’s power grid and the article Renewables could supply emergency power during blackouts for background.