A cybercriminal group known as Rhysida allegedly broke into the network of Berlin’s state government and exfiltrated 1.44 million files. They then tried to extort the government entity for money and when that failed, they leaked it all into the dark web.
According to multiple sources, the group first claimed responsibility for the attack on an underground forum, where it shared a small sample of the stolen files and demanded Berlin pay 30 bitcoin (around $2.3 million) in exchange for deleting the files.
Berlin recognized the attack in a press release, and said it would not be negotiating with the attackers, and instead launched a full-scale investigation into the incident, which it described as an “extremely serious crime and an attack on the state of Berlin.”
Read more…
Source: TechRadar News
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- UK and Germany launch joint-partnership to counter sabotage and cyber attacks
October 8, 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will travel to Berlin today for talks with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as the UK and Germany work together on technologies and industries that will drive growth in every UK postcode, and build resilience against shared threats. The UK and Germany are Europe’s two largest economies and biggest investors in defence and today ...
- Operation KillSwitch: Teenager suspected of leading KillSec ransomware group
October 1, 2026
On 30 September 2026, law enforcement took control of KillSec’s leak site, securing at least 110 terabytes of data against further unauthorised access. The cybercrime group used the site to threaten organisations with the publication of stolen files unless they paid a ransom. The action was part of Operation KillSwitch, an international investigation led by German ...
- Ransomware hackers dump 1.4 million stolen records from German government
September 7, 2026
A cybercriminal group known as Rhysida allegedly broke into the network of Berlin’s state government and exfiltrated 1.44 million files. They then tried to extort the government entity for money and when that failed, they leaked it all into the dark web. According to multiple sources, the group first claimed responsibility for the attack on an ...
- Berlin planning ‘protective shield’ to defend against sabotage
September 6, 2026
The new plan would see the creation of a “Cyberdome,” a network of digital sensors that would help seek out and intercept hacking attempts. Germany is planning to develop a “protective shield” to combat sabotage attempts following an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport last month, Bild newspaper reported on Sunday. Alexander Dobrindt, Germany’s Interior Minister, ...
- EU-UK sanctions target Russia over Europe-wide ‘vast cyber campaign’
July 13, 2026
The European Union and the UK have announced coordinated sanctions against Russia after accusing Moscow’s FSB intelligence agency of carrying out a cyber attack in December targeting Poland’s energy grid and orchestrating a wider campaign of digital sabotage across Europe. The joint measures focus on individuals and organisations linked to Russia’s security services, with the EU ...
- German Citizen Charged with Laundering Funds Linked to Prominent Darknet Marketplace “Dream Market”
May 13, 2026
Owe Martin Andresen, the suspected main administrator of Dream Market, one of the largest illicit darknet marketplaces before its 2019 shutdown, has been indicted for an alleged scheme to launder funds from Dream Market’s administrator accounts. Andresen was arrested last week in Germany on parallel charges brought by the German government. “Andresen allegedly channeled commissions earned ...