Ransomware Attack Disables IT Systems at Brandenburg Memorials

The Stiftung Brandenburgische Gedenkstätten, which oversees seven memorial sites in Brandenburg, Germany, including the Sachsenhausen Memorial and the Ravensbrück Memorial, has been hit by a ransomware attack. The attack was discovered on August 5, and the foundation's entire IT system has been taken offline as a precautionary measure. Director Axel Drecoll stated that the attack was carried out by professional IT criminals and has rendered the entire IT system inoperative. The foundation suspects that data may have been exfiltrated, potentially including internal administrative data, data from business partners and visitors, as well as agreements and documents. As a result, there is an increased risk of phishing, spam, and invoice fraud attempts. The foundation has advised heightened vigilance regarding suspicious emails, especially those appearing to come from the foundation. The memorial sites remain open to visitors without restrictions, but there may be delays in booking requests for educational programs. The foundation is working with external specialists to restore the systems, which are expected to be operational again within a few days. The full extent of the damage and data loss is not yet known. The attackers left a text file demanding contact for a ransom payment to decrypt the data.