Dag Baehr: BND Vice President's private data exposed online
Investigations by Süddeutsche Zeitung and WDR have revealed that Dag Baehr, the Vice President of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND), had his private contact information exposed online. The leak included his mobile number, email address, and home address.
The exposure was traced back to a 2020 hack of a US-based online auction house, which compromised the data of over three million customers. While the auction house stated it notified affected individuals via email at the time, Baehr's private number remained active.
Baehr stated that the phone number was used exclusively for private purposes and later acknowledged the situation was a mistake that has since been corrected. However, military and government officials noted that this was the only number they knew for him, lacking private contact channels.
The incident raises significant security concerns, as such information can be used to track locations or gather intelligence. NATO has reportedly issued warnings regarding these types of espionage methods, particularly noting their potential use by Russian agents.
Entities
Bundesnachrichtendienst · Dag Baehr · NATO · Süddeutsche Zeitung · WDR
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Dag Baehr stated he used the exposed phone number exclusively for private purposes. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] Baehr later acknowledged the use of the number was a mistake and stated he has corrected it. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] The data exposure originated from a 2020 hack of a US-based online auction house. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] NATO has reportedly issued warnings regarding espionage methods involving such data leaks. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] Dag Baehr's private mobile number, email address, and home address were discoverable on the internet. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] The hack involved the data of more than three million customers. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de
- [● 4 SOURCES] Dag Baehr has served as the Vice President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) since September 2023. www.wp.de · www.abendblatt.de · www.morgenpost.de · www.otz.de