Hackers Leak Millions of Sensitive Berlin Government Files After Ransom Demand Denied

The criminal hacker group Rhysida has published approximately 1.44 million files stolen from the Berlin state administration after the city government refused to pay a ransom of 30 Bitcoin, valued at roughly two million euros. The leaked data, totaling between 5.7 and 5.8 terabytes, was made available on the group's Darknet site on Friday afternoon following the expiration of a countdown timer. The breach occurred between August 7 and August 12, targeting the Senate Departments for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment, as well as the Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing.

The leaked documents include a wide array of sensitive information. Corroborated reports indicate the presence of personnel files, addresses, phone numbers, passwords, and contracts. Some reports specify that the data contains medical certificates, rehabilitation documents, and confidential disciplinary proceedings. Furthermore, the leak reportedly includes security relevant information such as emergency plans and secret communication channels. While the Berlin Senate initially claimed that only publicly accessible data had been stolen, this statement was later proven false.

Experts and officials have responded with varying perspectives. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) warned of an increased threat level, noting the risk of phishing attacks and the potential for "hack and leak" operations to influence the upcoming election on September 20. Some IT security experts praised the Senate's decision not to pay the ransom, arguing that paying such groups encourages further attacks. The Berlin administration has stated that the state network is no longer infiltrated and plans to notify affected individuals based on risk assessments.

Outlets with a center left lean emphasized the severity of the security failure, with one describing the leak as a "complete catastrophe" with "state threatening dimensions." In contrast, the center right outlet focused more on the strategic correctness of refusing the ransom and the broader warnings issued by the BSI regarding societal risks.