Berlin Refuses Ransom Demand, Hackers Publish Stolen Data
The city of Berlin was targeted by the Rhysida ransomware group in an attack that began on August 14. The hackers demanded a 30 BTC ransom, which is approximately $2.4 million based on current Bitcoin prices.
However, the city's Senate Chancellery refused to pay the demand, with Chief Digital Officer Florian Hauer stating that 'the State of Berlin will not give in to blackmail.' The safety of staff and residents remains their top priority.
The deadline for payment expired on September 4, and as a result, the hackers published around 5.7 terabytes of stolen data on the dark web. This dataset includes files from two Senate departments that were disconnected from the state network after the attack.
Officials are now reviewing the leaked material to determine the extent of the breach and potential harm to residents' personal data. Residents have been advised to report any instances of fraud or identity theft to the authorities.