Berlin officials announced that the city has been targeted by hackers demanding a ransom following a successful breach of municipal computer systems. Mayor Kai Wegner stated on Friday that the city would not comply with the extortion attempt, though the specific ransom amount was not disclosed by authorities. According to media reports, the hackers are seeking 30 bitcoin, equivalent to approximately €2 million.
The Rhysida group, a hacking organization believed to operate from Russia and eastern Europe, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group previously targeted the British Museum and has conducted hundreds of attacks since its emergence in 2023, focusing on government institutions and businesses of varying sizes across multiple countries. Rhysida has indicated plans to begin auctioning the stolen data on the dark web within seven days, with a starting price matching the ransom demand.
The initial data compromise occurred between August 7 and 12, with additional disruptions occurring on August 14 when two departmental networks were forced offline, preventing residents from submitting housing benefit applications and making payments for several days. Subsequent forensic investigations identified further breaches affecting Berlin’s transport and environment departments. City officials indicated that personal or other confidential data may have been compromised, though the complete scope of the breach remained under investigation.
State police, prosecutors, and federal security services are conducting investigations into the suspected perpetrators. The mayor’s office reported that inquiries into the nature and extent of compromised data were being pursued with significant intensity. Officials did not publicly identify the attackers, though media outlets published screenshots from the Rhysida group’s dark web presence claiming possession of files including contracts, agreements, personnel records, and contact information.
The incident occurred roughly one month before Berlin’s scheduled elections, though state senator Iris Spranger affirmed that election infrastructure had not been affected by the compromise.
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