WDR: Google — The Right Partner for Intelligence Services? (Dr. Sven Herpig)

In this WDR 5 radio interview (broadcast on October 27, 2026) Dr. Sven Herpig, Lead Cybersecurity & Emerging Threats, addresses the security implications and strategic risks of German intelligence agencies (BND, Verfassungsschutz, and MAD) adopting a Google Cloud platform for inter-agency data sharing.

Dr. Herpig acknowledges the necessity of cloud infrastructure to modernize intelligence operations and enable fast, effective data exchange. However, he warns that relying on foreign cloud providers introduces critical vulnerabilities—particularly concerning software updates. He stresses that software updates provided by US tech giants like Google could alter data integrity, cause accidental data loss, or create supply chain dependencies, especially if geopolitical tensions or sanctions result in a revocation of software updates. He highlights that while data may be stored locally using air-gapped systems (such as those managed by BWI), software dependencies and update verification remain the primary risk factors.