Overview
The cyber‑crime group known as Rhysida, which researchers associate with Russia or Eastern Europe, disclosed that it has seized 5.79 terabytes of data from Berlin state agencies. The stolen material comprises 46,500 contracts together with emails, phone numbers, passwords and other classified information.
Auction Details
Rhysida announced that the data will be auctioned on its website, setting a starting price of 30 bitcoin, equivalent to approximately $77,622 at current rates. A countdown timer displayed on the site indicated that less than seven days remain for bidders to place offers.
Berlin’s Response
Berlin’s mayor, Kai Wegner, and the state’s interior senator, Iris Spranger, issued a joint statement rejecting any ransom demand, emphasizing that the city will not submit to extortion. The city had previously received an unspecified ransom demand following the breach, as reported by broadcaster RBB. Officials were unable to disclose the full scope or specific content of the compromised data because the investigation was ongoing. Spranger assured that the city’s election infrastructure remained intact and that no data related to the upcoming September 20 elections had been compromised.
Context and Background
The attack occurs less than a month before Berlin’s state elections scheduled for September 20. According to the cyber‑crime research platform eCrime.ch, Rhysida has claimed responsibility for nearly 280 attacks since it first emerged in June 2023.
Additional Information
The article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence and subsequently reviewed by an editor, as noted in the publication’s disclaimer.