The Bundeswehr and the BSI are expanding their cooperation in the protection of critical infrastructure. The focus is on the question of how organizations and institutions with particular importance for the national community can become more resilient to disruptions, attacks and crises. For this purpose, experts from administration, military and IT security came together for a first workshop on April 22nd and 23rd, 2026.

Those involved included the Bundeswehr’s Operational Command, the Cyber ​​and Information Space Command, the Bundeswehr service provider BWI and the BSI’s National Liaison Department. The event was organized by the Cybersecurity Department for Critical Infrastructures.

Resilience is becoming a core security policy task

The protection of critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly important given the tense situation in cyberspace. Energy supply, water supply, emergency care and food supply are among the areas whose failure would have serious consequences for the state, economy and population. They must therefore be set up in such a way that they can withstand disruptive influences, adapt quickly to changing conditions and quickly restore their functionality after an incident.

Hybrid threats in particular show that cybersecurity cannot be viewed in isolation. Attacks on digital systems, disinformation, sabotage or disruptions to logistical processes can work together and exceed traditional responsibilities. This increases the need for close coordination between civilian and military actors within the national security architecture.

Civil-military cooperation is becoming more important

The deeper cooperation between the Bundeswehr and BSI is therefore more than an organizational step. It shows that the protection of critical infrastructure is increasingly seen as a task for the entire state. Technical expertise, situation reports, operational experience and official coordination must work together so that risks can be identified earlier and countermeasures can be initiated more quickly.

Both institutions build on a long-standing collaboration. One example is the National Cyber ​​Defense Center, which was set up in 2011 and is located on the premises of the BSI. Various security agencies work together there to analyze cyber threats and exchange information. The Bundeswehr also provides military situation observers in the Federal Office’s National IT Situation Center.

Critical care requires resilient structures

The workshop marks a further step towards strengthening existing structures and developing new approaches for greater resilience. It will be crucial to derive concrete procedures, reliable communication channels and practical support models from the exchange.

Because critical infrastructures don’t just need to be protected against individual cyber attacks. You need robust processes, clear responsibilities and reliable emergency concepts. The closer cooperation between the Bundeswehr and BSI is intended to ensure that central supply systems remain able to act even under pressure.