Cyber attack in Berlin: 1.4m files on dark web from Rhysida group
Hackers published 1.4 million data files from Berlin's municipal authority on the dark web following the refusal to pay a ransom of €2 million.
Hackers leak 1.4 million files from Berlin municipal authority on dark web
Approximately 1.4 million files from Berlin's municipal authority are now circulating on the dark web in multiple batches and available for download. According to Newsit.gr, the leak occurred after the deadline set by the perpetrators for paying a ransom expired, which was not paid.
The cyber attack occurred on 14 August and caused serious operational problems for municipal services. Departments responsible for housing and the environment remained disconnected from the network for approximately one week, whilst for several days it was impossible to submit applications and make housing allowance payments.
The perpetrators demanded a ransom of approximately €2 million, according to German magazine Der Spiegel. The authorities refused to pay. In late August, Berlin's mayor Kai Wegner had stated publicly that the city was facing extortion and that it would not "give in" to the hackers' demands.
After the deadline expired, the perpetrators uploaded the files accompanied by the message "Have fun, data hunters", according to regional public broadcaster RBB. Among the leaked files are said to be personal documents, work certificates, offers and employee evaluations.
German media outlets attribute the attack to the hacker group Rhysida. The same group claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on the British Library in London in autumn 2023, demanding 20 bitcoin at the time, worth more than €760,000 in that period. On that occasion too, the Library refused to pay, resulting in approximately 500,000 files containing personal data of visitors, subscribers and employees being published on the dark web.
The new leak in Berlin occurs approximately one month before municipal elections on 20 September. To date there are no indications that the attack has affected the electoral process.
Source: Newsit.gr