Cyber Incident Victim: Polizei Hessen
Date:
Apr 2022
Location:
Germany
Summary
The Hessen police temporarily took their central information website offline as a precautionary measure following increased overload attacks, prioritizing IT infrastructure security and adherence to strict information protection standards. Public accessibility remained unaffected, with citizens directed to use emergency hotlines, in-person visits to local stations, or official Twitter accounts for urgent communications and updates while the website was unavailable; the Hessian State Criminal Police Office initiated an investigation into potential criminal aspects of the attack attempts.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On April 29, 2022, the Hessen Police took their central information portal, polizei.hessen.de, offline temporarily in response to increased overload attacks targeting the website. The Hessian State Criminal Police Office (Landeskriminalamt Hessen or LKA HE) announced the measure as a precautionary step, emphasizing that maintaining a secure IT infrastructure and upholding the highest standards of information security were critical priorities for the police force. The decision to disconnect the site was driven by the need to mitigate the impact of these disruptive attacks, though the article did not specify the exact nature or origin of the malicious activity. While the website remained inaccessible during this period, the police confirmed that their operational capabilities and public accessibility were unaffected. Citizens retained the ability to contact the police via telephone, in-person visits to local stations, or emergency services through the 110 hotline. Official Twitter accounts managed by the Hessen Police continued to disseminate urgent updates and information to the public without interruption.
The incident prompted an immediate review by the LKA HE to assess potential criminal violations associated with the attack attempts, though no further details regarding suspects, motives, or technical methodologies were disclosed. No data breaches or compromises of sensitive systems were reported in connection with the overload incidents. The temporary takedown underscored the agency’s proactive stance in safeguarding digital assets against disruptions, even at the cost of reduced online visibility. Public communications reiterated the force’s uninterrupted availability through traditional channels while reinforcing the importance of emergency protocols. The restoration timeline for the website was not specified in the announcement, leaving the duration of the outage unclear beyond its provisional nature.