- Growth in School Student Population Across German Schools
Threatening Emails Target Schools Across Multiple Federal States
This morning, schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and several other regions have received threatening emails. Authorities suspect a coordinated, nationwide action.
A spokesperson from the Bavarian State Criminal Office noted that the contents of the emails were similar, although he declined to discuss specific details. LKA Hesse, upon request, confirmed that this was a nationwide phenomenon, stating that there is currently no specific threat, but they have prepared their forces accordingly.
In Essen alone, at least four schools received the threatening letters via email. The police are maintaining a heightened alert as a precaution. Despite the alarming situation, classes are continuing as normal, with authorities expressing that they have yet to find any concrete evidence suggesting a serious threat.
In Lower Bavaria, authorities searched a school after receiving a bomb threat via email at around 7:00 AM. The operation concluded without finding any suspicious objects, and classes will resume. Munich schools that were threatened were deemed not credible by the police.
In Neubrandenburg, the police spokesperson revealed that the threats contained references to the terrorist organization Islamic State.
Previous incidents involving threatening emails have occurred at numerous schools across the country. A trial is currently underway at the Stuttgart Regional Court against a 20-year-old who is accused of sending 51 emails to schools, authorities, and religious communities with an accomplice in the fall of 2023. The emails were presumably part of a data breach of PowerSchool, which occurred in December 2024, resulting in stolen data such as student and staff names, contact information, medical notes, passwords, and some Social Security numbers. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has advised schools not to engage with these threat actors and is reporting regulatory and law enforcement matters on behalf of districts.
These new incidents emphasize the growing cybersecurity concerns faced by schools due to increased digital connectivity, making them more vulnerable to ransomware and data breaches. Email remains a primary attack vector for such threats.
- The community is urged to remain vigilant as the recent wave of threatening emails, which have targeted schools across multiple federal states, could be an indication of a coordinated, nationwide cyberattack.
- As the number of schools receiving threats continues to grow, the importance of robust employment policies, including education and self-development in digital safety, becomes increasingly apparent to mitigate these risks and ensure the safety of students and staff.
