Cyber Dome Rising: Germany, Israel join forces on digital security

German Interior Minister Dobrindt unveiled a five-point plan featuring a joint cyber research centre with Israel, deeper intelligence collaboration, enhanced cyber and drone defences, and upgraded civil protection, inspired by Israel’s effective cyber response during the recent Iran conflict

Germany has unveiled plans to launch a joint cyber research centre with Israel, marking a significant step in bolstering bilateral cooperation on cyber security and digital defence. The announcement was made by German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt during his official visit to Israel on June 29.

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Germany’s national cyber resilience and is inspired by Israel’s robust cyber infrastructure and its proven capabilities in thwarting large-scale attacks, particularly during recent hostilities involving Iran.

At the heart of Germany’s new initiative is the proposed creation of a “Cyber Dome” – a digital defence architecture modelled conceptually on Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system. While the Iron Dome protects against physical threats, the Cyber Dome will focus on shielding digital infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, especially those posed by state-sponsored actors.

Five-point cyber defence blueprint

Dobrindt outlined a five-point action plan to operationalise this vision. Key components include the establishment of a German-Israeli cyber research centre, deeper collaboration between the intelligence services of both nations – namely Germany’s BND and Israel’s Mossad – and enhanced cooperation on cyber defence strategies. The plan also proposes strengthening Germany’s drone defence systems and developing an upgraded civil protection and emergency warning network, similar to those deployed in Israel during conflict situations.

Germany’s decision comes in the wake of Israel’s recent cyber response capabilities during the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict, which reportedly helped mitigate larger-scale Iranian cyber offensives. Aviram Atzaba, head of international cooperation at Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, previously described the Cyber Dome concept as one that integrates threat intelligence into a centralised system for a coordinated national response.

Germany reaffirms solidarity with Israel

During his visit, Dobrindt toured Bat Yam, the site of an Iranian missile strike earlier this month that resulted in multiple civilian casualties. Accompanied by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, he underscored Germany’s commitment to supporting Israel and enhancing its own homeland defence mechanisms.

“As digital threats escalate, we must strengthen both military and civil defence. Cooperation with Israel offers us valuable expertise and experience,” Dobrindt stated.

This marks the first high-level visit to Israel by a foreign official following the recent conflict and reflects a growing recognition of the role cybersecurity plays in national security planning.