Berlin Mayor Rejects Hacker Ransom Demand Amid Cyber‑Attack

The mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, stated that city officials would not comply with a ransom request from the Rhysida hacking group, which attacked city systems between 7 and 12 August. The group, based in Russia and Eastern Europe, allegedly stole 5.79 terabytes of data and has threatened to auction it in seven days.

The hackers demanded 30 bitcoin—worth approximately €2 million—while the city shut down several online services, including housing‑benefit applications and payment portals, disrupting daily life for residents.

State police, federal prosecutors and security agencies are investigating the incident with urgency, searching for the extent of the data leak and whether personal information may have been exposed.

According to a new Reuters report, the Rhysida group is holding a countdown on its dark‑web site, ready to list the stolen data for auction at the same bitcoin price demanded from Berlin.

This cyber‑attack comes just a month before Berlin’s state election, and authorities have confirmed that voting infrastructure remains secure.

Sources say the group has performed hundreds of attacks globally since 2023, targeting government and corporate infrastructure.