Berlin hit by cyberattack, hackers demand 30 bitcoins

Berlin's government was hit by a cyberattack. Hackers demand 30 bitcoins (about €2M) to avoid leaking stolen data. Authorities refuse to pay and are investigating; the breach's full extent is unclear.

Berlin's city government recently suffered a major cyberattack, with the hacker group Rhysida claiming responsibility. The attackers reportedly stole up to 5.79 terabytes of sensitive data, including violation records and passwords. They are demanding a ransom of 30 bitcoins (approximately 2 million euros) and have threatened to auction the stolen data on the dark web if their demands are not met, setting a countdown for public release. The breach began with a phishing email in early August and went undetected for about a week. It primarily affected the transport and construction administration departments, which were subsequently isolated from the main network to contain the damage. Berlin authorities have refused to pay the ransom and have not confirmed the full extent of the data breach, citing ongoing investigations. The case is being handled urgently by police and federal security services, with officials maintaining their stance against yielding to extortion.