Bundeswehr Restricts Use of Personal Phones Due to Espionage Threats from Russia and China

The German Ministry of Defense has imposed strict restrictions on the use of personal mobile phones within the agency.

This was reported by Spiegel.

The corresponding security directive was distributed to employees in mid-February.

According to the document, it is prohibited to bring personal phones, tablets, and smartwatches to meetings where topics classified as “Confidential – For Official Use Only” or higher are discussed.

In particular, the new rules apply to meetings regarding the planning of exercises, troop deployments, and the operational readiness of the German Armed Forces.

Before such meetings, all personal devices must be left in lockers in the hallways. The restrictions also apply in offices where classified documents are stored.

The reason for this decision is the significant threat of espionage, which could be used to prepare sabotage operations.

The warning notes that the German Armed Forces are currently a priority target for intelligence gathering, particularly by Russia and China.

At the same time, personal devices are vulnerable to spyware, which can be installed via apps or phishing attacks. Such interference can go unnoticed for a long time.

Currently, most Bundeswehr personnel are equipped with service phones featuring special security software; however, they are prohibited from installing standard messaging apps for communication.

This forces personnel, including management, to use personal smartphones during the workday, which poses significant security risks.

ast month European diplomats and German lawmakers stated that the “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) party may be passing confidential information from internal EU databases to Russia.