Berlin is being blackmailed after hackers stole data during a cyberattack on the German capital earlier this month, Mayor Kai Wegner said. According to German weekly Der Spiegel, the attackers demanded
30 bitcoins, worth around €2 million ($2.5 million), in exchange for not releasing the stolen data. A security source cited by the publication said the group behind the attack is believed to be the ransomware gang Rhysida.
“Berlin is the victim of a serious crime,” Wegner said, adding, “The demand came in early on Thursday evening. Berlin will not give in to blackmail.”
The cyberattack, which began on August 14, knocked several city administrations, particularly those handling housing and environmental matters, off the network for about a week. Applications for housing benefits and payments were also disrupted for several days.
Authorities initially said that no sensitive data had been stolen. However, later they acknowledged that personal information may have been affected. According to Der Spiegel, the hackers have threatened to publish the stolen data if the ransom is not paid within a week. German security services are investigating the attack and examining what information may have been taken.
Rhysida has previously targeted major institutions. The group claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on the British Library in 2023 and demanded 20 bitcoins, worth around $850,000 at the time. The British Library refused to pay the ransom. Rhysida subsequently published around 500,000 files on the dark web containing personal data belonging to visitors, subscribers and staff.
Berlin has not officially confirmed that Rhysida was behind the cyberattack.
Despite the attack, officials said it would not affect Berlin’s upcoming elections. Deputy Mayor Iris Spranger said the September 20 vote was “100 percent secure.”
