Major Berlin cyberattack: Sensitive government documents appear on the dark web

The Rhysida hacking group has published a vast trove of data stolen from Berlin’s administration after the authorities refused to pay a ransom of about 2 million euros in Bitcoin. The leak includes roughly 1.44 million files totaling almost 5.8 terabytes.

The attack targeted the Berlin state administration’s network in August. Rhysida claimed responsibility and said it had taken about 5.7 terabytes of data. After the hackers’ ultimatum expired on Friday, September 4, they began releasing the information on the dark web and circulated file-name lists on social media.

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an attack on a scale that threatens the state

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner confirmed that the stolen material includes sensitive information about employees and other people. The published files reportedly contain payroll lists, bank details, copies of identity documents, disciplinary records, and allegations of professional negligence.

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Who can say that, even if we had paid, this data had not already ended up somewhere else long ago?

The archive also includes material on how authorities prepare for crises. One folder concerns chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. Other documents refer to defense, government communications used in extreme situations, and emergency plans prepared by state institutions. Investigative journalist Lars Winkelsdorf described the attack on X as “an attack on a scale that threatens the state.” He said the files included state criminal police investigation documents, secret federal government communication channels for an apocalypse scenario, defense companies, and emergency plans.

Wegner defended the decision not to pay. “Who can say that, even if we had paid, this data had not already ended up somewhere else long ago?” he told Bild. Berlin authorities have now formed a team to examine the published information and determine who may have been affected, working with security institutions in Berlin and at the federal level.

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In addition to state criminal police investigation documents, the files include plans concerning national defense, from the federal government’s secret communication channels in the event of an apocalypse to defense companies and emergency plans drawn up by state institutions.