Berlin leak: hackers publish nearly six terabytes of administration data, including secret CBRN scenarios
Published files include highly classified CBRN contingency plans that experts say could be exploited by terrorists or foreign services.
Hackers claiming to belong to a group called Risaid published nearly six terabytes of data from the Berlin administration on the dark web, the files include highly sensitive material, officials said. The dump contains roughly 1.4 million individual files, but local authorities and senior politicians have so far given no major public statements about the scope of the breach.
Sensitive CBRN planning among leaked files
Among the released documents is a file listed as AG CBRN-Rahmenplanung, referring to planning for CBRN threats. The acronym CBRN stands for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, meaning the material contains highly classified scenarios and contingency planning that could be misused by terrorist groups or foreign intelligence services.
Investigative journalist Lars Winkelsdorf described the cyberattack as “of a scale that directly endangers the state.” His assessment underlines concerns about the potential operational impact of exposing contingency plans designed for extreme emergency situations.
The hackers reportedly demanded a ransom of 30 bitcoins — roughly two million euros — and threatened to publish the data unless Berlin paid. The deadline was Friday at 15:35, but the Berlin Senate said it would not in principle give in to such extortion demands.
Authorities now face an urgent task: to assess which parts of the leak pose immediate security risks, to warn affected services, and to start damage control. Cybersecurity experts warn that the publication of classified emergency plans increases the chances of malicious actors studying and exploiting vulnerabilities.
Photo: press material from the event
