5.2 TB of data from the German federal government's defense plans and cabinet data leaked to the dark web after a cyberattack

Approximately 1.44 million documents from the German federal government's administrative network were leaked to the dark web following the German authorities' refusal to pay a ransom to the hacker group Rhysida. The publicly exposed archives amount to about 5.2 TB.

According to German media outlet Bild, the stolen data includes information on encrypted communication channels used by the federal government, defense and emergency response plans. The leaked files also cover response strategies for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. Additionally, personal data such as information on German criminal police, bank account details, addresses, phone numbers, and birth certificates have been compromised. Bild believes that some of this information could attract "special attention" from foreign intelligence agencies and terrorist organizations.

The full impact of the incident has not yet been determined by German authorities. Computer forensic experts are currently conducting in-depth analysis of the leaked documents, and German officials have pledged to notify individuals affected by the data breach. Prior to the public release of the files, the Rhysida ransom group demanded 30 bitcoins (approximately €2 million). Although the ransom deadline expired on September 4th, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner still refused to meet the attackers’ demands. (The hackers gained access to the files through Berlin’s municipal government network.)

The cyberattack occurred between August 7th and 12th, with the breach only disclosed on the 14th. Two departments responsible for transportation, environmental protection, construction, and housing temporarily disconnected from the city’s public network. The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) believes this attack was economically motivated. At the same time, the agency warned that the data leak increases the risk of targeted phishing attacks and tampering with publicly available documents.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1875486015848460/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author