Founded in 1956 from the postwar Gehlen Organization – a US-sponsored intelligence network composed largely of former Wehrmacht officers – the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) is Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, operating under the authority of the Federal Chancellery. Now headquartered in Berlin, it collects, analyzes and reports intelligence on foreign political, military and economic developments. The BND lists cybersecurity, international terrorism and regional intelligence as core mission areas. In 2025, German security agencies, including the BND, warned of Russian disinformation and recruitment campaigns on social media. Chancellor Friedrich Merz subsequently called for a more active intelligence posture to counter alleged hybrid threats. The service cooperates with allied agencies in cyber and geopolitical domains.