Berlin Cyberattack | Hackers Demand $2.5 Million Ransom, Threaten To Leak Stolen City Data

BERLIN CYBERATTACK: Berlin is facing a major cybersecurity crisis after hackers reportedly demanded a ransom following a cyberattack that disrupted several city administrations and may have resulted in the theft of personal data. According to the report, hackers are demanding 30 bitcoins, worth around $2.5 million, and have threatened to publish the stolen information if the ransom is not paid within a week. The August 14 cyberattack disrupted several Berlin government services for around a week, including departments dealing with housing and environmental matters. Housing benefit applications and payments were also temporarily unavailable. Authorities initially said that no sensitive information had been stolen, but later acknowledged that personal data may have been affected. German security services are now investigating the incident and working to establish exactly what information was taken. The group reportedly linked to the attack has previously been associated with a major ransomware attack against the British Library in 2023, in which stolen files were later published after the institution refused to pay the ransom.