Cyberattack on Dresden State Art Collections Lasted Days

A cyberattack on the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) persisted from January 17 to 21, according to a response from the Saxon Ministry of Justice to a parliamentary inquiry by Rico Gebhardt (Left Party). The attack may be more severe than initially thought. The perpetrator's location remains unknown, and the investigation is ongoing, targeting unidentified individuals. Gebhardt stated that there is no concrete suspicion against any specific suspects and no hot leads on their whereabouts. Questions about motives, such as a planned robbery, remain unanswered. Speculation about foreign masterminds is officially uncommented but not denied. The investigation is led by the Central Office for Combating Cybercrime (ZCS) at the Dresden General Public Prosecutor's Office, Saxony's highest law enforcement authority, which handles state security, organized crime, and espionage. Gebhardt acknowledged the need for restraint due to ongoing high-level investigations but emphasized that Saxony must improve its defenses against cybercrime, particularly as digitalization increases.