At the Munich Security Conference, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and Schwarz Digits have announced a significant partnership aimed at developing a sovereign cloud infrastructure for the German government. This initiative is designed to enhance data sovereignty and reduce reliance on non-European cloud service providers.
The collaboration comes in response to increasing geopolitical tensions and the need for secure IT systems. The new cloud infrastructure will primarily serve authorities and operators of critical infrastructure, providing them with a secure environment to process sensitive information.
Building a Secure Infrastructure
Scheduled for launch in 2026, the “Stackit Public Cloud Restricted” will meet the requirements for the “VS-NfD” secrecy level, enabling German authorities to handle internal communications and reports securely. The infrastructure will be designed with a focus on open standards and open-source technologies, which aim to prevent vendor lock-in and ensure flexibility in service providers.
According to the BSI, the architecture will be based on the zero trust principle, which fundamentally distrusts any access attempts, whether from internal or external sources. This model reassesses every access request based on identity, context, and associated risk factors. By adhering to these standards, authorities can ensure that sensitive data remains protected from unauthorized access.
In contrast to existing cloud solutions that depend on providers like Microsoft Azure, the new initiative aims to mitigate concerns surrounding data accessibility under the US Cloud Act, which permits American authorities to access data from US-based providers under specific conditions.
Advancing Digital Sovereignty
BSI President Claudia Plattner emphasized the importance of this cooperation in establishing a “resilient cyber nation” for Germany. The initiative will not only focus on infrastructure but also address the safe application of artificial intelligence within governmental operations. To support this, Schwarz Digits is set to expand its investment in the Heidelberg-based AI firm Aleph Alpha, aiming for a stake of approximately 20 percent.
The collaboration seeks to develop European language models capable of processing citizen inquiries and summarizing files without compromising sensitive data. Plattner remarked, “Digitalization is becoming the linchpin of a massively changing world… I am therefore extremely pleased that with Schwarz Digits we now have a partner at our side with whom we can specifically and strategically advance digitalization in our country.”
The new cloud services will primarily target federal ministries, state administrations, and various authorities. However, the effectiveness of the German cloud solution in terms of performance and scalability remains to be evaluated against established global competitors.
This initiative represents a critical step in enhancing Germany’s digital sovereignty, addressing the need for secure, innovative solutions that benefit the state, economy, and society at large.
