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Industrial espionage a growing threat

The German domestic intelligence agency, or Verfassungsschutz, has warned mid-sized companies to be more vigilant of cyber-attacks, which increased in 2010.

Published: 16 April 2011 11:31 CEST

Industrial espionage a growing threat

Photo: DPA

The agency’s President Heinz Fromm said the threat of industrial espionage through cyber-attacks from foreign intelligence services, was still being underestimated by mid-sized German companies.

“The number of recognized attacks on German IT systems rose significantly in 2010,” Fromm told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. “Mid-sized German companies are a particularly attractive target for espionage.”

Fromm said companies that do not protect their IT systems properly could end up paying high price, and he called for more cooperation with the authorities. “We would have a lot more success if businesses gave us more information about hacker-attacks and espionage attempts,” he said.

The president said he could understand companies not wanting to reveal it when their system had been hacked, but said the authorities treated all information with the utmost discretion.

According to Fromm, the Verfassungsschutz recorded 2,100 cases of industrial espionage in 2010. “That’s an increase of 40 percent compared to the 1,500 cases in 2009,” he added.

He also said that the type and origins of the attacks pointed to foreign intelligence agencies.

DAPD/bk

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Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Monday

Oslo Operahus. Photo by Arvid Malde on Unsplash

Norwegian government to unveil more details around Covid certificate

On Monday, the government will issue guidelines on how exactly its Covid-19 certificate will be used domestically.

At 3pm, the government will hold a press conference where they will reveal more about how the Covid-19 certificates will work.

The certificate launched on Friday, but so far, the government have been sparing with details on how it will be used.

READ MORE: Explained: How to access Norway’s Covid-19 certificate

They have, however, revealed the certificate would be used for access to large events as well as tours and cruises within Norway.

We will have all the details on how the certificate will be used covered in an article later today.

Ministry of Defence: No signs of espionage

There is no evidence to suggest that Danish data cables were used to actively spy on Norwegian politicians by the US, Defence Minister Frank Bakke Jensen has told parliament.

At the end of May, Danmarks Radio reported that the US used Danish data cables to spy on politicians across Europe.

“These are serious allegations that the government takes very seriously. Based on what we know, it does not look like there has been activity (espionage) directed at Norwegian politicians,” Jensen said in a statement.

READ MORE: Norway summons US embassy top official over spying claims

“Systematic espionage is completely unacceptable. We are clear to the Danish and American authorities about this. We are also in active dialogue with Danish and American authorities and services about the information regarding this matter,” he added.

One in ten Norwegians plan summer holiday abroad

Only ten percent of respondents to a new survey have said they plan on going on holiday abroad this summer.

According to the survey by employer organisation, Virke, the majority, 60 percent, said that their travel plans have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Fewer children are being adopted from abroad in Norway

In 2020, 46 children were adopted from abroad in Norway, half the number of foreign adoptions compared to 2019.

According to new figures from Statistics Norway, the number of foreign children being adopted in Norway is also less than 10 percent of what it was in 1998 when 795 foreign adoptions were registered.

A total of 243 adoptions were recorded in Norway last year, almost 100 less than the year before.

One of the reasons fewer foreign children are being adopted is that countries that have previously released children for adoption abroad can now take care of these children themselves, according to Statistics Norway.

96 new coronavirus cases

On Sunday, 96 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in Norway, 89 fewer than the seven-day average of 185.

Fewer cases tend to be registered on weekends and public holidays than on weekdays.

The R-number or reproduction rate in Norway is currently 0.9. This means that every ten people that are infected will, on average, only infect another nine people, indicating that the infection level is declining.

Total number of Covid-19 cases in Norway. Source: NIPH

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