Hackers Leak 5.8TB of Berlin Government Data Weeks Before State Election

A cybercriminal group that breached Berlin's government computer systems has followed through on its threat to publish stolen data, releasing a 5.8-terabyte package after a ransom deadline expired on Friday. Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) has warned that the attack — classified as financially motivated — could have dangerous political consequences as Berlin heads towards its state parliament election.

Scale of the Breach

According to the attackers themselves, the stolen haul included approximately 1.44 million individual files. These reportedly contained more than 5,000 personnel records, fine notices and payroll documents, as well as confidential materials from Bundesrat committee sessions. The hackers also claimed to have obtained login credentials and plaintext passwords for government databases and payment service providers, though the accuracy of these claims has not been independently verified.

Election Interference Risk

BSI highlighted the danger of so-called "hack-and-leak" operations — where stolen documents are released at a strategically timed moment to cause maximum political damage — particularly in the weeks before an election. Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner said the city was examining what information had been accessed and would work to notify affected individuals as quickly as possible.

Separately, BSI warned residents who had contact with affected individuals or institutions to be particularly vigilant against targeted phishing attacks using the leaked personal data. The attack is being investigated by relevant federal and state authorities.