At this year’s Gamescom opening night in Cologne, Germany, game developers from around the world showcased their latest work, but at the same time, the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), often likened to a “German MI6,” will also take part in this year’s Gamescom, attempting to scout the next generation of intelligence agents from among gamers.
According to a report on The Telegraph website, potential candidates interested in joining them will be invited to complete a five-stage challenge task to test their abilities in cybersecurity and hacking. At the same time, intelligence officers from the BND also plan to use the event to seek “professionals” for senior cyber positions.
Notably, the BND recently plans to comprehensively strengthen Germany’s cybersecurity environment to counter the increasingly serious Russian cyberattacks. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet has also recently approved a “counter-hacking” provision allowing the agency to strike back against cyberattacks, with tactics that may include targeting foreign intelligence databases or weapons production networks.
“According to our recent findings, there is significant overlap between gamers and the key talent we are looking for—they are tech-savvy and enjoy playing different roles,” said BND spokesperson Julia Linner.
Furthermore, BND also believes that gamers are highly skilled at “completing missions” and adopting different identities, and that they try to tackle all kinds of challenges in order to reach their goals. Not only that, but they even went so far as to create a game specifically for this purpose, *BND Legends*, which tests stealth and hacking skills, allowing players visiting this year’s Gamescom to drop by the BND booth and try it out.
In this game, the player takes on the role of an undercover agent sent to the fictional country of Bethulan to stop a cyberattack operation. With the help of a hacker and a geography expert, the player must move through military facilities, avoid surveillance drones, and memorize security passwords. While players try out the game, the BND will also be on the lookout for potential suitable candidates and seek to recruit them into the unit.
Interestingly, Germany’s BND is not the only national agency that has recently tried to recruit talent from gamers; earlier this year, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration also attempted to find “air traffic controllers” from among gamers.
Source: KOCPC Chinese