AfD faces data breach claims

The German far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has reportedly suffered a significant data breach, with hackers claiming to have obtained over 421,000 emails from the inboxes of various party leaders. The breach has raised concerns, particularly as the AfD is known for using symbols associated with the Third Reich in its promotional materials.

AfD confirms limited cyberattack

The AfD acknowledged to the German media outlet Bild that a service provider for the party's hosting was the victim of a cyberattack in September 2026. The party stated that only certain parts of a small number of email accounts—most of which had not been used for years—were apparently copied without authorization.

Hackers release indexed email collection

Hackers have created a website to display the emails, but they have not published all of them directly. Instead, they offer an index that classifies the documents based on assumed severity, using criteria such as racism, antisemitism, threats of violence, and references to the Movement of Citizens of the Reich, among other "illegal activities."

Emails remain inaccessible without torrent

The hackers do not provide the full content of the emails on their site. Instead, they direct users to a 281 GB archive via torrent, which has not yet been independently verified. This archive is said to contain the complete emails, including headers, message bodies, and attachments, with intact DKIM signatures.