|
|
|
|
|
|
European signals intelligence alliance
MAXIMATOR is the cryptonym of a secret European five-partner alliance
in the field of signals intelligence and code breaking. The group
was named after a German Bavarian beer brand, and comprises the intelligence
services of Denmark, Sweden,
Germany, the Netherlands
and France.
The existence of the secret partnership — by many seen as the European
equivalent of the UKUSA 'five-eyes' — was revealed by Dutch Professor
of computer security Bart Jacobs in April 2020 [1].
Although its name had not been disclosed before, the countries
of the MAXIMATOR alliance are mentioned in the evaluation reports of
Operation RUBICON — the secret purchase of
Crypto AG
by CIA
and BND —
as free riders 1 of the information obtained from rigged
Crypto AG equipment
[3].
Operation RUBICON
was disclosed
– after a two-year investigation – in February 2020
by ZDF Television (Germany), SRF Television (Switzerland) and
The Washington Post newspaper (USA) [4].
The existence of MAXIMATOR was later confirmed by
Peter F. Müller, Ulrich Stoll and David Ridd in the German newspaper
Frankfurter Rundschau, based on a handwritten note that Müller had
discovered in the trove of documents that had led to the revelation of
Operation RUBICON [6].
After carefully studying the note, Dutch intelligence researcher Peter Koop
later discovered the existence of yet another secret European signal
intelligence alliance, known as Fünfergruppe [7].
|
 |
-
German: Trittbrettfahrer.
|
|
#
|
Country
|
Since
|
Cryptonym
|
Organisation(s)
|
|
|
|
1
|
Denmark
|
1976
|
Concilium
|
FE (DDIS)
|
|
2
|
Sweden
|
1976
|
Thymian
|
FRA
|
|
3
|
Germany
|
1976
|
Novalis
|
BND,
ZfCh
(now: BSI)
|
|
4
|
Netherlands
|
1978
|
Edison
|
WKC,
TIVC,
SVIC
(now: JSCU)
|
|
5
|
France
|
1985
|
Marathon
|
DGSE
|
|
The map below is based on a
diagram from 1990,
and shows the flow of information between the five countries [A].
As the principal founder, Denmark
has flows in all directions, whereas Sweden entirely relies on the information
being relayed by Denmark. Initially, the Netherlands only sent information
to Germany, which then relayed it to the intelligence services of
Denmark and France.
The direct link between the Netherlands and France did not exist in 1990,
but was established at a later date.
Until that time, the intelligence exchange between
them was provided by Germany.
|
- Prof. Dr. Bart Jacobs,
Maximator: European signal intelligence cooperation, from a Dutch perspective
Intelligence and National Security, Taylor & Francis Online, 7 April 2020.
- Huub Jaspers, De afluistervrienden van Nederland
VPRO Radio, Argos, 8 April 2020.
- Crypto Museum, Operation RUBICON
19 March 2020.
- Crypto Museum, Operation RUBICON — media coverage
19 March 2020.
- Shashank Joshi, Maximator, a European spy act to rival Five Eyes, comes to light.
The Economist, 26 May 2020.
- Peter Müller, Ulrich Stoll & David Ridd, Geheimoperation 'Maximator'
Frankfurter Rundschau, 1 July 2020.
- Peter Koop, A unique note from the BND about European SIGINT alliances
Electrospaces website, 22-31 July 2020.
|
|
|
|
Any links shown in red are currently unavailable.
If you like the information on this website, why not make a donation?
© Crypto Museum. Created: Wednesday 08 April 2020. Last changed: Thursday, 24 February 2022 - 10:25 CET.
|
|
|
|
|
|
