Ambassador Maria Adebahr, director for Cyber Foreign and Security Policy at the German Federal Foreign Office, delivered a powerful message on the global stakes of cybersecurity cooperation during a visit to the Marshall Center on May 12. Addressing the Program on Cyber Security Studies (PCSS), Adebahr shared Germany’s strategic approach to navigating an increasingly contested information environment.
“No one is safe until everyone is safe. That’s why international cooperation is essential in cyberspace,” she said.
Outlining Germany’s three-pillar cyber strategy, Adebahr emphasized that cybersecurity, democracy, and international peace are tightly interconnected. Despite Germany’s robust multi-pronged approach, she argued that individual national cybersecurity depends on global cooperation, noting, “Germany’s cybersecurity is only as strong as the weakest link in our international network.”
She also highlighted recent German-led responses, including the public attribution of a cyberattack on the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy to Chinese state actors, and the exposure of Russian military intelligence interference in Germany’s ruling political party.
“Attribution is one of our strongest tools in cyber diplomacy,” Adebahr emphasized. “It calls out those who breach the agreed rules of responsible state behavior.”
Her remarks come amid growing geopolitical instability and a surge in cyber-enabled disinformation. Adebahr voiced concern about foreign interference in democratic processes, citing examples from Moldova to the U.S. She warned that hybrid threats are eroding the foundations of democratic governance and called for greater international alignment.
“Having Ambassador Adebahr return to speak with our participants was both timely and impactful,” said German Army Lt. Col. Arne Lossmann, PCSS course director. “Her insights into Germany’s cyber diplomacy and real-world attribution efforts gave participants a front-row view into how national policy translates into international action.”
The visit marked Adebahr’s second engagement with the Marshall Center. She previously spoke at the Program on Applied Security Studies in 2024.
In closing, she encouraged PCSS participants to see themselves as part of a global “silent network” of cyber professionals committed to securing the digital domain through cooperation, resilience, and shared purpose.
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2025 08:43 |
| Story ID: | 498316 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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