Start taking cyberattacks seriously before it's too late

With news of a new cyberattack or privacy breach coming almost daily, it’s easy to write it all off as simply part of the fabric of modern politics. But the attacks, often meant to destabilize institutions and intimidate politicians and others, reiterate the need for stronger protections, not shrugs of inevitability.

On Friday, it was reported that personal data, documents, private chats, and other sensitive information involving German politicians and public figures had been published online. Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as lawmakers from every political party in the German Bundestag (except the far-right Alternative for Germany) were victims of the attack, which is currently under investigation.