A joint investigation by the West German Broadcasting Corporation (WDR) and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, a subsidiary of the German Broadcasting Federation, revealed that private personal information such as the mobile phone number of Dag Baehr, deputy director of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), has been available online for many years.
Bell has served as the deputy director for military affairs of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) since 2023. He is one of the highest-level officials in Germany with access to confidential information. He is responsible for overseas strategic military reconnaissance, and his team's tasks include gathering intelligence on Russian nuclear weapons, North Korea's missile program, and China's space weapons. Almost everything he handles is strictly confidential.
But for years, Bell's private email address, private mobile phone number and home address in Bavaria have been available online.
The information stems from a data breach at a US online auction house. After the platform was hacked in 2020, the details of approximately 3.4 million customers were leaked online, including Bell's personal information. At the time, the auction house notified users of the security incident and data breach via email.
Reports from WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung stated that Bell was still using the leaked mobile phone number shortly before the report was published; reporters contacted him through the number on September 22. During the conversation, Bell said he had long been aware that his data had been exposed in a breach.
Bell explained that he used the phone sparingly, only for personal matters, and that it was regularly tested for viruses. But six days after receiving the inquiry, Bell again explained that he kept his old phone number for "family reasons." "That was a mistake. I have since corrected it."
The German Federal Intelligence Service stated that in principle it does not make public comments on matters involving intelligence agencies or operations. The Federal Chancellery, which exercises supervision over the Federal Intelligence Service, said in response to inquiries: "In principle, reports involving data breaches involving personnel of security agencies are taken very seriously."
Although Bell had not yet joined the intelligence community when his personal information was exposed online six years ago, he was already in a highly sensitive security field: He was then commander of the Bundeswehr's Strategic Reconnaissance Command.
Security experts have warned that exposed numbers could make it easier for potential attackers to locate devices, launch attacks and spy on their contents. Intelligence expert Christopher Nehring said, "Using this data, attackers can try to induce targets to click on links and install malware through means such as phishing or social engineering." In addition, these contact details can also be used to contact relevant people in the target's private life or professional social circle.
NATO recently issued an internal warning specifically against such methods used by Russian intelligence agencies: the latter are increasingly using instant messaging applications (especially WhatsApp and Signal) to spy on targets or impersonate identities.
Bell is not the only official in Europe's intelligence community to be cavalier about the management of his own private data. Until a few weeks ago, people could view the cycling and running laps of Peter Reesink, head of the Dutch military intelligence service MIVD, through fitness apps. For example, the intelligence officer's route home from MIVD headquarters to his private home address included top speed and estimated calorie burn. A few years ago, Riske's address and mobile phone number appeared online along with the personal information of millions of Dutch people in a massive data breach of private information.
