Main points
- The German Ministry of Defense has banned personal electronic devices from meetings discussing classified information due to the threat of espionage from Russia and China.
- Enhanced security measures require that personal devices be left in special lockers, and all work phones are regularly checked for viruses.
German military imposes strict restrictions on communications / Depositphotos
The German Ministry of Defense has introduced strict new rules on the use of personal electronics. Minister Boris Pistorius has taken a radical step to protect state secrets from external interference and technical manipulation by foreign intelligence services.
Why have personal gadgets become a threat to national security?
The decision to drastically restrict the use of private equipment in Germany's defense sector was not spontaneous. Back in mid-February 2026, the department distributed an urgent security directive, and many officials were warned about the innovation in person. A wide range of devices fell under the ban: from ordinary mobile phones and tablets to modern smartwatches. From now on, these things cannot be brought to any meetings – both in-person and virtual – if information marked “For official use only” or a higher level of secrecy is being discussed, writes Spiegel.
Special attention is paid to meetings that involve planning military exercises, conducting operations, or assessing the combat readiness of the Bundeswehr. Before the start of such meetings, all attendees are required to leave their devices in special lockers located in the corridors.
This rule applies not only to conference rooms, but also to offices where confidential documents are stored. Given the specifics of the work, the new restrictions actually affected almost all rooms in the Berlin Bendlerblock complex.
The main reason for such tough measures was the growing activity of foreign intelligence agencies:
- The text of the security directive explicitly states that Germany is a priority target for spies, particularly Russian ones.
- At the same time, it is noted that China also demonstrates a strategic and long-term interest in collecting sensitive data.
Cybersecurity experts emphasize that espionage is often only the first stage, which can be followed by acts of sabotage.
The technical vulnerability of personal smartphones is that they are relatively easy to infect with spyware. This can happen through the download of ordinary applications or as a result of targeted phishing attacks. Since the ministry does not have the right to control the private equipment of its employees, malicious programs can remain undetected for a long time, turning the phone into a constant source of information leakage.
Interestingly, almost all employees of the department are provided with official phones. These devices are regularly checked for viruses, and they have special programs for working with documents. However, it is impossible to install popular instant messengers and other programs that are not related to work on them. This is why civil servants and military personnel are accustomed to constantly keeping their own gadgets with them in order to stay in touch with loved ones.
Serious reasons
Germany has very specific reasons for taking such steps. Not long ago, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) accused the APT28 group, also known as Fancy Bear, of hacking vulnerable Internet routers manufactured by TP-Link, writes Euractiv. This organization is linked to Russian military intelligence and is suspected of a number of cyberattacks around the world. The hackers' goal was to obtain sensitive data – military information, government information and data on critical infrastructure facilities.
In total, the attackers attacked several thousand publicly available devices from TP-Link, a Chinese company that now operates on the global market. About 30 compromised devices were found in Germany. The BfV has warned owners of the affected routers, most of whom have already replaced their equipment. The warning was issued jointly with other intelligence agencies, including the US FBI.
This is not the first such episode. APT28 has previously been accused of cyberattacks on Germany's air traffic control system, as well as spreading disinformation ahead of last year's federal elections. Russia has traditionally denied involvement in such operations.
Espionage, sabotage and arrests – a chronicle of threats
Cyberattacks are just part of a bigger picture, Euronews reports. In recent months, Germany has faced a series of high-profile cases involving suspected espionage for Russia.
- In March, it became known that a drone manufacturer had been the victim of industrial espionage, with two suspects arrested. According to the federal prosecutor's office, they collected information about the company both on site and online, acting on behalf of Russian intelligence services.
- That same month, a Ukrainian citizen was detained and accused of spying on a Ukrainian military officer, first in Ukraine, and then preparing further intelligence operations against him in Germany.
- A businessman from Nuremberg has gone on trial on charges of supplying Russia with underwater espionage technology through a network of shell companies across Europe.
The scale of the problem is confirmed by an internal report from the Federal Criminal Police Office: 321 suspected cases of sabotage were recorded in 2025 alone. The situation is particularly tense in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.