The NSA infiltrated two major German networks to map the country's internet traffic

[Half Monk 697]

After German officials proposed to lock down its internet due to security breaches, it looks as though newly discovered NSA activity could get the agency into trouble once again. Evidence has surfaced saying the NSA network infiltration in Germany reaches much further than the political leaders and other important individuals we reported on previously. It seems US agents tapped into the networks of both local internet provider Netcologne and German tech giant Deutsche Telekom. 

 

 

Known as Treasure Map, the operation was part of the NSA's attempt to map the country's internet and is designed to allow the agency to track particular devices and complete infrastructure systems throughout Germany. While there is no direct indication the US is using Treasure Map to track every individual device in the country, reports say it does appear to allow the NSA to do so. Even with the potential to track massive amounts of German internet data, right down to individual routers and mobile devices, when British intelligence agents hacked German infrastructure for seemingly similar reasons, it was later believed to be for tracking particular suspects.

 

While not proven to be a mass dragnet operation, data regarding the breach from Netcologne suggests that it took place on German soil, which violates national law and could certainly cause more issues between the two countries.