Berlin City Government Faces Ransom Demand After Cyberattack

Berlin city government officials are facing a ransom demand after a cyberattack two weeks ago, according to ZEIT. According to ChainCatcher, the attackers are suspected to be the long-running Rhysida hacking group, which allegedly demanded 30 bitcoin and threatened to publish stolen data. Sensitive information may include traffic violation records and passwords. Berlin state authorities have not confirmed the scope of any data leak or commented on the ransom amount or the attackers' identity, saying they are withholding details for investigative reasons. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said the city will not yield to extortion. The attack mainly affected the transport and construction administration departments, which were temporarily isolated from the state government network after the incident.