Massive data hack targets many German officials including Angela Merkel

Representational picture

Private data stolen from hundreds of German politicians including Chancellor Angela Merkel have been published online, the government said on Friday, in a stunning breach of cyber security.

The information, which comprised home addresses, mobile phone numbers, letters, invoices and copies of identity documents, was first released via Twitter in December but its spread gathered pace this week.

It was not immediately clear whether the officials were targeted by hackers or the victims of an internal leak of the data, some of which dates back to 2017.

"Personal data and documents belonging to hundreds of politicians and public figures were published on the internet," government spokeswoman Martina Fietz said. Among those affected were members of the Bundestag lower house of parliament and the European Parliament as well as regional and local assemblies, she said.

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