Berlin’s Cyber Crisis: Hackers Demand Ransom, Mayor Declares No Compliance

Sun Sep 06 2026 11:33:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Berlin Mayor refuses to pay 30 bitcoin ransom demanded by the Rhysida hacker group after a data breach of city systems.

Berlin has fallen victim to a cyber‑blackmail attempt by the Rhysida group, which stole 5.79 TB of data from city systems earlier this month. Mayor Kai Wegner publicly announced that the city would not pay the demand of 30 bitcoin (≈€2 m). While some city services were disrupted, officials are pursuing investigations to uncover the extent of the breach. The group plans to auction the stolen data in seven days, but authorities warn about potential personal data leaks. With elections looming, security for political infrastructure remains a top priority.

Berlin’s Cyber Crisis: Hackers Demand Ransom, Mayor Declares No Compliance

Berlin’s city systems were hijacked by the cyber‑crime group Rhysida, which stole roughly 5.79 TB of data. The hackers issued a threat on Thursday evening, demanding 30 bitcoin in exchange for not publishing the stolen files.

Mayor Kai Wegner, in a televised statement, made it clear the city will not give in to the ransom demand. While the exact amount was not disclosed, Der Spiegel estimates the kickback at about €2 million.

The attack caused several public services to go offline, including housing benefits and payment portals. Authorities have halted two department networks and are working to determine how deeply personal data were exposed.

The Rhysida group, known for targeting governments and businesses worldwide, claims it will start auctioning the acquired data in just seven days – mirroring the ransom it has asked for. A screenshot of their dark‑web site shows files allegedly containing contracts, NDAs, personnel data, passwords, and thousands of contact details.

Federal police, prosecutors and intelligence services have launched a rapid investigation into the breach, while state officials stressed that election infrastructure remains secure.