A modern defense army needs modern technology and resources
With less than 8 percent of all soldiers, cyber and information space represents the weakest organizational area of the Bundeswehr in terms of personnel. The agreed increase in the defense budget and the introduction of a special fund for the Bundeswehr must be accompanied by a stronger emphasis on the virtual dangers of war.
In his government statement, Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that technical and societal resilience against cyberattacks and attacks on critical infrastructure should be strengthened. At the same time, he distinguished this from the tasks of the Bundeswehr. Hans-Wilhelm Dünn, President of the Cyber Security Council Germany e.V., says:
“Today, war no longer takes place only in trenches, but also on the Internet. The Bundeswehr must do justice to these hybrid attack vectors and strengthen its defensive capabilities in cyberspace. Given the shortage of skilled IT workers, it needs first-class equipment, good payment and social upgrades to create an attractive workplace for experts.”
A lot of money alone does not create an increase in competency, as evidenced by the 16.4 percent increase in the defense budget since 2019. Rather, it is a matter of using the opportunity of the immense funds in a forward-looking way. To be at the cutting edge of technology, the close interlinking of scientific, military and economic know-how is essential. Accordingly, the Agency for Innovation in Cybersecurity should be strengthened to design a holistic strategy of cooperation between the Bundeswehr, BSI (Federal Office for Information Security), ZITiS (Central Office for Information Technology in the Security Sector), BKA and other security agencies. Analogous to the American DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), future technologies could be developed together with European partners.
“With our solidarity for Ukraine, Germany also becomes a target of Russian aggression, whether through sanctions or cyberattacks. The Bundeswehr as a defense army must be put in a position to protect the country at its most vulnerable points: in the critical infrastructure with energy suppliers, hospitals, transport companies, banks, media and communication networks,” said Hans-Wilhelm Dünn.
The Cyber Security Council Germany e.V. was founded in August 2012 by well-known personalities. The Berlin-based association is politically neutral and advises companies, public authorities and political decision-makers in the field of cyber security. The association’s members include large and medium-sized companies, operators of critical infrastructures as well as federal states and federal institutions, experts and political decision-makers with a connection to cyber security.
Through its members, the association represents more than three million employees from the business community and nearly two million members from associations and clubs.
V.i.S.d.P.: Hans-Wilhelm Dünn, Präsident, Cyber-Sicherheitsrat Deutschland e.V.