BSI boss Arne Schönbohm has lost the confidence of Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The 53-year-old's contacts with Russia between the cyber security association he founded were fatal.
The head of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Arne Schönbohm, who has come under criticism for his alleged contacts with Russian secret service circles, will be replaced. The AFP news agency learned from government circles that there should be a timely change in the office of BSI President. According to one report, Schönbohm maintains contacts with an association called the "Cyber Security Council Germany," which is said to be connected to Russian intelligence circles.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser had already moved away from Schönbohm. On Monday morning, the joint appearance by Faeser and Schönbohm to present the annual BSI annual report before the federal press conference, which had been planned for many weeks, was cancelled.
According to dpa information, Faeser is annoyed that the BSI boss is still in contact with the "Cyber Security Council Germany", which he himself co-founded and headed ten years ago, but which recently came under criticism for its connections to Russian secret services. Schönbohm's connection to the controversial club had previously been discussed by Jan Böhmermann in the "ZDF Magazin Royale" program. A spokesman said the Interior Ministry was investigating and examining the matter closely. "All options are being examined - and how the current situation should be dealt with."
According to circles, Schönbohm's visit to the club's anniversary a few weeks ago was the last straw. However, according to a report by the "Business Insider" portal, the Federal Ministry of the Interior had been informed about Schönbohm's speech at the association. Accordingly, Faeser's State Secretary Markus Richter approved the lecture at Schönbohm's request on August 24th. The Berlin cybersecurity company Protelion, which is a member of the "Cyber Security Council Germany e.V." is.
The company operated under the name Infotecs GmbH until the end of March. This is a subsidiary of the Russian cybersecurity company O.A.O.Infotecs, which, according to the research network Policy Network Analytics, was founded by a former employee of the Russian intelligence service KGB, who was awarded a medal of honor by Russian President Vladimir Putin for his work.
Protelion was previously also a member of the Federal Association for the Protection of Critical Infrastructures (BSKI). The association has now declared that it has decided to suspend Protelion's membership for the time being. The association referred to the report by "ZDF Magazin Royale". "We are suspending membership until the allegations against Protelion have been fully clarified," said BSKI Chairman Holger Berens. "The allegations are outrageous and if they are confirmed, we will have to take further action."
Protelion's connections to Russia had been known in specialist publications months before Böhmermann's report. In January, "Forensic News" reported on reservations about Infotecs in the USA, ie at a time when Protelion was still operating under the Infotecs name in Germany. After the company was renamed, the specialist portal "Intelligence Online" pointed out the problematic cross-connections to Russia.
