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Berlin probes cyberattack as hackers demand 30 Bitcoin for stolen data
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Aug 31, 2026
Berlin authorities have refused to meet an alleged 30 Bitcoin ransom demand after a cyberattack hit two state agencies, while officials have yet to confirm the amount of data claimed to have been stolen.
The Berlin Senate Chancellery said it would not disclose details about the attackers, their demands or the information potentially taken from government systems while the investigation remains active. A Senate spokesperson told German news agency dpa that officials could not comment “for investigative reasons” at this stage.
The position leaves several details of the attack unconfirmed by the state government, including reports that the ransomware group Rhysida obtained sensitive files and threatened to publish them unless Berlin paid roughly 2 million euros in Bitcoin.
Berlin has refused the reported 30 Bitcoin demand
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner confirmed after a special Senate meeting on Friday that the state was facing an extortion attempt following the cyberattack.
He did not publicly identify the attackers or disclose the amount demanded. Interior Senator Iris Spranger joined Wegner in briefing the public following the meeting, while authorities continued examining what information had left government systems.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported that Rhysida was behind the attack, citing information posted by the ransomware group on its dark web leak site. Security sources cited by the publication reportedly identified Rhysida as the group responsible for the extortion attempt.
The attackers demanded 30 BTC and threatened to release the information if Berlin did not pay, according to the report. At current prices, the demand was worth roughly 2 million euros.
Rhysida reportedly claimed to have taken almost six terabytes of data. The alleged files include information from tens of thousands of administrative offense proceedings, contracts, passwords, login credentials, emergency plans and documents related to critical infrastructure.
Berlin authorities have not independently confirmed the amount of data claimed by the group or the full list of compromised records.
The distinction has become important to the official account of the incident because the government’s assessment changed after the attack was discovered. Officials initially said only publicly accessible information had been taken before the Senate Chancellery acknowledged last Wednesday that non-public data was affected.
Cyberattack forced two Berlin agencies off the state network
The attack became public on Aug. 14 and affected Berlin’s Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing and the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.
Both agencies were temporarily disconnected from Berlin’s state network as officials worked to contain the incident.
The separation lasted for about a week and disrupted some administrative services. German reports said residents were temporarily unable to apply for or receive housing benefits while the affected systems remained isolated.
Source>> Berlin probes cyberattack as hackers demand 30 Bitcoin for stolen data
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