Two Berlin gov’t departments “unable to work” after cyberattack

Two government departments in Berlin have been incapacitated by a cyberattack, according to the Senate Chancellery. The Department for Urban Development, Construction and Housing, and the Department for Mobility, Transport, Environment and Climate Protection are among those affected. The attack was first identified on August 14 and prompted the temporary shutdown of the affected departments to prevent further security breaches.

Employees are currently only able to work by phone, with one anonymous employee telling Tagesspiegel that their ability to function has been severely limited without internet and email communication.

The cyberattack targeted a high-speed data system called BeLa, which links approximately 600 government organizations and public venues in Berlin. This includes emergency services like the police, fire brigade, and hospitals. Highly sensitive data was reportedly leaked in the attack, but authorities have not yet specified what information was accessed. The entities behind the cyberattack remain unidentified, and investigations are ongoing.

In addition to the cyberattack, a Berlin state election postal vote registration website has been experiencing connection problems. The Senate Department of the Interior reported that this issue has persisted since August 17. The responsible State Office for Citizenship and Public Order is working tirelessly to resolve the matter.

As of now, there is no evidence linking the cyberattack on the departments for transport and housing to the disruption of the postal vote website. The State Statistical Office estimates that 2.5 million Berliners are eligible to vote in the House of Representatives election on September 20. However, only Berliners with a German passport can participate in the AGH Wahl.

EU citizens, on the other hand, can vote for a candidate representing their district in the Berlin Bezirksverordnetenversammlung (BVV) on the same day.