German MPs and officials targeted in spyware attack – minister

German lawmakers and government officials have been targeted in a spyware attack, Digital Transformation Minister Karsten Wildberger has said.

Berlin suspects state involvement in the targeting of officials’ iPhones, with affected users being notified of the vulnerability, Wildberger told German broadcasters ARD and ZDF on Monday.

“The whole matter is still under investigation,” he said.

Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has described the threat as “mercenary spyware,” citing Israeli-developed Pegasus as a prominent example. The agency said state actors are frequently behind such attacks but has not identified those responsible.

The scale of the operation remains unclear. The BSI said on Monday that “other public figures” had also been targeted, but did not identify those affected or disclose their number.