In early June 2025, law enforcement conducted raids across several German states targeting five teenagers aged between 16 and 19 years old. These young individuals are accused of launching cyber attacks that disrupted telephone lines at more than 800 police stations worldwide, primarily in Germany but also affecting neighboring countries. The disruptions ranged from a few seconds to over two minutes, rendering the communication lines unusable for emergency calls and other critical operations.
The suspects allegedly used a method known as ‘Dial-Out’ conferences, which involves participants being called into a conference call session rather than dialing out to join it. By exploiting this system with malicious intent, they managed to block multiple police station phone numbers simultaneously, causing significant disruptions to daily operations and emergency response times. The investigation is ongoing under the supervision of the Cybercrime Unit at the Central Criminal Investigation Office in Osnabrück.
Authorities confiscated various electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, external storage media, and network equipment from the suspects’ residences during these raids. These items are currently being analyzed for evidence to support the charges against the juveniles. If proven guilty of computer sabotage under Section 303b of the German Criminal Code, they could face fines or imprisonment up to three years.
Around the same time, similar incidents involving teenage hackers have been reported internationally. For instance, in March 2022, there were reports suggesting that young individuals from England and Brazil might be behind a notorious hacking group known as LAPSUS$. The following month saw seven teenagers arrested in connection with these hacks, highlighting a pattern of juvenile involvement in sophisticated cyber attacks. Another case involved a seventeen-year-old British teen apprehended for his alleged role in an Uber hack, also tied to the LAPSUS$ group.
The trend of young hackers being both capable and willing to engage in large-scale disruptions through technology raises concerns about cybersecurity measures and youth education on ethical hacking practices. Moreover, these incidents underscore the vulnerability of critical infrastructure like emergency communication systems, calling for enhanced protection strategies.
Teenage Hackers Across Borders: A Growing Concern
Similar questions
When did the law enforcement raids take place?
How many teenagers were involved in the cyber attacks?
What was the age range of these teenagers?
Which countries were primarily affected by the disruptions to police telephone lines?
How long did the disruptions last at some of the police stations?
What method did the suspects use to disrupt the phone systems?
Who is supervising the investigation into this cybercrime?
Where are the electronic devices confiscated from the suspects’ residences being analyzed?
Under which section of the German Criminal Code could these juveniles be charged if found guilty?
What are the potential consequences if they are proven guilty of computer sabotage?