In a sensational case of cybersecurity, it has been revealed that two Danish politicians, Uffe Elbæk and Katarina Ammitzbøll, were not informed about a Chinese cyberattack targeting them in 2021. The attack, confirmed by the FBI in 2022, has left the two politicians shocked and demanding answers from Danish authorities. According to information from the USA, the two China-critical politicians and an employee at Christiansborg were targets of the attack. Despite this knowledge, the Danish politicians were not informed by the Danish authorities, who had received the information from the FBI.
Only after requesting to be briefed, Elbæk and Ammitzbøll finally gained insight into the case through a meeting with representatives from the Danish Parliament, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, and the Center for Cyber Security. Katarina Ammitzbøll, now a member of the Moderates, expressed her frustration over the handling of the situation. “I do not feel reassured by how this situation has been handled, but as was admitted, we can learn from it, and then we must try to look forward,” she said.
Uffe Elbæk, the founder of the Alternatives, was also critical and called the situation “almost surreal”. He pointed out that it was paradoxical that they had to receive information from the American side before the Danish authorities intervened. The Center for Cyber Security has defended their actions by pointing out that their investigations in 2021 did not show signs of compromise of the elected officials’ devices. Deputy Director Mark Fiedel from the center, however, admitted that they will learn from the situation and ensure better information in similar cases in the future.
Elbæk was not satisfied with this explanation and described it as a “smokescreen”. “That statement is either the widest understatement in recent memory or the worst cover-up explanation I have heard,” he said, adding that it is a “regular scandal”. Both politicians now hope for a meeting with Søren Gade, the President of the Folketing (Danish Parliament), who was also not informed about the matter. They seek clarity and accountability in a case that still leaves many questions unanswered.