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German political parties AfD and CDU targeted in major cyberattacks
German political entities have been hit by significant cyberattacks involving data leaks and phishing campaigns. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) confirmed that a hosting provider was compromised in September 2026, resulting in the alleged online publication of approximately 421,179 emails and 281 gigabytes of data. While the party states that most affected accounts were inactive for years and current federal mailboxes remain secure, the leaked data reportedly includes documents belonging to prominent figures such as Alice Weidel, Alexander Gauland, and Leif-Erik Holm. The data allegedly contains identity documents, invoices, bank statements, and membership lists.
Separately, a phishing attack targeted a CDU district association in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg. Investigators from the Stuttgart State Criminal Police Office and the Karlsruhe Public Prosecutor's Office reported that an unauthorized access to a member's account was used to send nearly 5,000 phishing emails. These messages, disguised as event invitations, were sent to various contacts, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other individuals within the political sphere. Authorities stated that there is currently no evidence of a political motive behind the CDU phishing incident.
Entities
AfD · Alexander Gauland · Alice Weidel · Bing · CDU · Censys · Check Point · Friedrich Merz · Germany · Microsoft · WatchGuard
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Nearly 5,000 phishing emails were sent from the compromised CDU account. wochentlich.de · www.t-online.de · www.ad-hoc-news.de
- [● 11 SOURCES] AfD hosting provider was hacked in September 2026. www.diebewertung.de · www.rd.nl · novini247.com · www.bild.de · stadt-bremerhaven.de · +6 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Leaked data includes identity documents, invoices, and bank statements. www.diebewertung.de · www.rd.nl · novini247.com · www.bild.de · www.kurierverlag.de · +5 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] A CDU district association account in Heilbronn was compromised via phishing. wochentlich.de · www.t-online.de · www.ad-hoc-news.de · www.staatsanzeiger.de
- [● 10 SOURCES] Approximately 421,179 emails and 281 gigabytes of data were leaked online. www.diebewertung.de · www.rd.nl · novini247.com · www.bild.de · www.kurierverlag.de · +5 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] The AfD claims current mail accounts are not affected by the hack. www.diebewertung.de · www.rd.nl · stadt-bremerhaven.de · www.kurierverlag.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · +4 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Chancellor Friedrich Merz was among the recipients of the CDU phishing emails. wochentlich.de · www.t-online.de · www.ad-hoc-news.de · www.staatsanzeiger.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] No evidence of a political background for the CDU phishing attack has been found yet. wochentlich.de · www.t-online.de · www.staatsanzeiger.de