German Cabinet Approves IP Address Storage Law to Combat Online Crime
2 days ago
- #Data Retention
- #Cybersecurity
- #German Legislation
- The German government has approved draft legislation requiring internet providers to store customers' IP addresses for three months to aid in online crime investigations, including child pornography, cyber fraud, and digital violence.
- The measure, a form of targeted data retention, differs from previous versions by not including blanket storage of location and traffic data, aiming to balance freedom and security.
- Law enforcement currently faces challenges as IP addresses are often stored only briefly, leading to many investigative queries being unsuccessful.
- The legislation also introduces additional tools like security orders for storing traffic data in suspected cases and expands cell tower queries to cover more crimes, such as commercial fraud.