NAfter indications of a cyber attack, Brandenburg’s state capital Potsdam cut the administration’s Internet connection. “We have decided to take our systems offline for security reasons. We have indications of a cyber attack and are working closely with the state and security authorities,” said Mayor Mike Schubert (SPD) on Thursday.
According to the city, the administration is currently not available by e-mail. All process software can also only be used to a limited extent. In particular, applications for identity cards and passports as well as registrations and re-registrations are currently not possible. However, the phones are not affected. “We feel compelled to ask for your patience with all matters relating to the citizen service facilities,” Schubert said. The “Tagesspiegel” had previously reported.
The digital policy spokesman for the FDP Brandenburg, Matti Karstedt, called for more intensive efforts by the state government to strengthen IT security. “We must not allow cyber attacks to paralyze our infrastructure and impede the work of the authorities,” stressed Karstedt. “The state government must not continue to stand idly by the recent increase in cybercrime and cyberterrorism.”
The Potsdam city administration was already the victim of a cyber attack at the beginning of 2020. According to them, a vulnerability in the system of an external provider was responsible for this. The city then shut down its servers for about a week.
