German NSA has deal to tap ISPs at major Internet Exchange

The German equivalent of the National Security Agency has secret arrangements with local telecom firms, providing direct access to data flowing over domestic fiber.

According to the German magazine Der Spiegel, the Federal Intelligence Service (known by its German acronym, BND) has taps on the major Internet exchange point in Frankfurt known as DE-CIX. The magazine cited a “three-page confidential letter” that was signed by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office and the Ministry of the Interior. The letter noted that the BND would also have access to data sent over 25 major German ISPs, including 1&1, Freenet, Strato, GSC, and Lambdanet Plus. This revelation seems to be the rough German equivalent of the NSA's own XKeyscore surveillance system. The BND, which is prevented by German law from conducting domestic spying, ostensibly has its attention turned toward Russia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. However, Der Spiegel does note that the BND is allowed to spy on Germans "in some cases." The German tech news site Heise reports that it still unknown exactly how the BND avoids capturing domestic traffic sent over German networks.