A cyber attack rocked the municipality of Berlin after more than a million sensitive files and statements were leaked on the dark web, in one of the most prominent cyber blackmail operations targeting a German public institution recently, after the authorities refused to pay a ransom estimated at about two million euros.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegener acknowledged that sensitive data was stolen during the cyberattack on the German capital’s municipality last August, stressing that the authorities would not yield to the hackers’ demands.
According to the public “RBB” group, the attackers published more than a million stolen data on the dark web on Friday, after their attempt to obtain a ransom in exchange for not publishing it failed.
Der Spiegel weekly reported that the leaked data includes information related to protection procedures within the Berlin fire service, payrolls, bank statements, and digital copies of official identity documents, in addition to confidential information about employees and files related to the expansion of the German Chancellery’s headquarters.
In an interview with Bild newspaper, Wegener renewed his refusal to pay the ransom, asking about the guarantees that could prevent hackers from keeping or republishing data even if their demands are met.
Local media reported that the value of the requested ransom amounted to approximately two million euros.
For its part, the German government confirmed that it is closely following information and investigations related to the data leak, while efforts continue to determine the extent of the breach and its implications.
Local reports indicate that a hacker group known as “Raizeda” was behind the attack, which is the same group that previously claimed prominent cyberattacks, including the attack on the British Library in London in 2023.
The attack on the Berlin municipality occurred on August 14, and led to the disruption of a number of departments’ access to the network for about a week, especially the departments concerned with housing and the environment, which caused a disruption in the submission of some applications and the disbursement of housing subsidies for several days.
The incident comes at a time of increasing European concerns about ransomware attacks targeting public institutions and sensitive infrastructure, with an increasing focus on protecting government data and preventing the leakage of information related to employees and security facilities.
