Berlin Isolates Two State Ministries After Breach Disrupts Public Services

Berlin authorities disconnected two state ministries from the city government network after detecting a cybersecurity breach affecting the ministries for urban development, construction and housing, and for mobility, transport, climate protection and the environment. Officials isolated the ministries as a precaution while investigators examined reports that attackers may have exploited a vulnerability in one ministry’s IT systems; German media also reported that data was exfiltrated. Authorities have not publicly identified the threat actor, disclosed the intrusion timeline, or confirmed the full scope of the compromise.

The incident left parts of the ministries effectively unable to work, with staff reportedly cut off from email and internet access and relying on phone, SMS, and fax for communication. The disruption also affected public services, including processing of housing benefits and education-related assistance at some district offices. Berlin’s central IT service provider, ITDZ Berlin, was reportedly not impacted because the affected ministries operated their portion of the state network independently, though they shared some infrastructure with each other.