Attackers Bypass Newly Upgraded Defenses of Germany’s Largest Eastern European Studies Association

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Osteuropakunde (DGO) confirmed Thursday that it has been the target of a new cyberattack, months after a similar breach in 2024. German authorities suspect Russian state-sponsored actors are the culprit.

The organization said the attackers gained access to its mail server and stole a large volume of messages. The breach occurred just a few days after the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Verfassungsschutz) issued a warning about increased cyber threats from Russia designed to target non-governmental organizations and academic institutions.

Targeted Again

The DGO was only one of the organizations explicitly warned of cyber threats in a previous notice from the Verfassungsschutz. According to the agency, Russian cyber campaigns increasingly focus on institutions labeled by Moscow as “undesirable” or “extremist.” The DGO seems to fit both categories under Russian law.

The DGO said in a statement that the attackers circumvented security improvements implemented in response to the 2024 incident. It described the breach as “highly professional” and confirmed it is coordinating with the German Foreign Office, the Verfassungsschutz, and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).

Broader Campaign

The latest breach reinforces warnings from German intelligence services that Russian actors are conducting hybrid warfare campaigns aimed at undermining democratic institutions and discourse in Germany.

Just a week earlier, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik (DGAP) was declared an “undesirable organization” by Russian authorities. In that case, the designation was linked to allegations of spreading misinformation about the Russian armed forces — a criminal offense under Russian law.

“Attacks like those on DGO and DGAP are designed to discredit and disrupt the work of institutions that examine Russia’s domestic and foreign policy,” the DGO said.

Not Just Digital

The DGO also said it’s in contact with other affected organizations, including some that have reported physical surveillance and actual break-ins, suggesting that the threat extends beyond cyberattacks. The organization also called for stronger political action and warned that the attacks should be interpreted as part of a broader offensive against Germany’s democratic infrastructure.

“These are not isolated events,” the statement read. “They are attacks on institutions embedded in Germany’s civil and academic fabric — and by extension, on the federal government itself.”