Jan 8, 2019 - Technology

Suspect admits to hacking data of German public officials

Interior of Plenary Hall (meeting room) of German Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag),

The plenary hall of the German Parliament in Berlin. Photo: Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A 20-year-old German man confessed to stealing and publishing the personal data of hundreds of politicians and other high-profile public figures to spite their political views, the New York Times reports.

The big picture: The attack heightened concerns about the German government's ability to curb attacks targeting citizens' personal data. The suspect published information from individuals from every leading political party in Germany — except the far-right Alternative for Germany. Officials did not provide any information regarding the man's political views, according to the Times.

Go deeper: Europe's political storm engulfs Merkel, May and Macron

Go deeper