Berlin is being blackmailed by hackers, mayor says - BBC News

Kai Wegner says the German capital and city-state would not cave in to a ransom demand for data stolen in a cyber-attack.

Image source, ReutersImage caption, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said the German capital would not cave to the ransom demand

Berlin is being blackmailed by hackers who were able to compromise city systems and steal data earlier this month, its mayor has said.

Kai Wegner said officials would not cave in to the ransom demand, which came on Thursday evening. He did not say how much was being sought, though Der Spiegel reports the hackers are demanding 30 bitcoin, worth around €2m (£1.7m).

Some of the German capital's online systems were forced to close down as a result of the attack, while investigators were working to understand what data had been taken.

The Rhysida group, which is thought to operate from Russia and eastern Europe, and was behind a previous attack on the British Museum, has reportedly taken responsibility.